Saiyajinnyanichuan:Spring of drowned female Saiyan
by Trugeta
Summary: Seeing as Genma and Soun still have their relapses some reeducation is needed and provided. Also, Ranma is about to start her first schoolday at Furinkan. How will the meeting with Kuno go, and what is the secret plan to make him back off?
1. Here's Ranma?

**Title**: Saiyajinnyannichuan – Spring of drowned female Saiyan  
**Author name**: Trugeta

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ as well as Akira Toriyama and Funimation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Note further that I don't own any of the other trademarks mentioned in this story.

This story takes place at the beginning of the Ranma ½ series and several years after the Cell Games Saga. It's an AU, and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

Besides, please check out my other Ranma stories. I try to keep a constant level of attention to all of them.

My thanks go to Rose Vaughn and HeWhoWalksTheEarth for betaing this; my stories would only be half as good without you.

**  
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────**

**  
Chapter 1: Here's… Ranma? **

**  
**It was late evening, and the mild air of a summer day was still comfortable enough to enjoy the last hours of what had been a wonderful day, at least weather-wise. Quite a lot of people in the Nerima ward of the Tokyo prefecture did just that and were sitting in parks and such. The two travel-worn figures who trudged along the street did not care, however.

**  
**Especially the tall, bulky man wearing glasses and a bandana around his head seemed to be impatient for some reason; he was also watching the sky from time to time, and seeing that it was still cloudless he felt it prudent to urge his companion on. Again. "Come on, boy, we're nearly there. If you'd take that ridiculous clothing off we could actually travel faster… urk!"

**  
**Some passers-by watched with astonishment as the bulky man was suddenly bodily lifted into the air by his companion, and some of them would swear later that they had heard a growl. The outstretched, slim arm of the cloaked figure did not tremble even the tiniest bit from lifting the considerable weight of the man.

**  
**A distinctly female voice answered from under the hood of the cloak, and coal-black eyes seemed to gleam in the semi-darkness of the late evening hour. "And whose fault would that be, oyaji no baka? Why the heck am I wearing this stupid cloak, hmm? Slipped your mind, huh? Well, let me refresh it!"

**  
**What followed next was too surprising for the few bystanders, and later they would wave it off as a collective hallucination because of the warm weather. After all, it had been the first real warm day of the year, and maybe it had addled their brains.

**  
**Anyway, the cloaked figure, and the cloak really hid all of her features, suddenly threw the fat man into the air with no apparent effort and kicked him straight into the wall with a roundhouse-kick. What followed next was short, violent and downright brutal.

**  
**In the end the battered and bruised man crashed against a fire-hydrant, and what happened thereafter was too much for the bystanders to grasp. For suddenly the bulky man changed into a giant panda, right before their eyes!

**  
**The large animal growfed and growled, and then, to the continued surprise of the eye-witnesses it began to scribble on what seemed to be wooden signs. # _I told you before that we have to get to the Tendos._ # Flip. # _Now stop your whining and get moving, boy!_ # it signed.

**  
**One man out of the group of bystanders, who were meanwhile thinking this was all a big dream, turned towards the cloaked and supposedly female figure. If this was all a dream nothing could happen to him, right?

**  
**And surely the female under the cloak was stunningly beautiful, ne? Why else would she wear a cloak if not to conceal her beauty from prying eyes? This was _his_ dream, and she _had to be_ stunningly beautiful. Surely she would remove that cloak for him and shower him with her affections. After all, this was a dream and _everything_ was possible in a dream. So why not go for it?

**  
**He smiled his most winning smile. "Excuse me, Miss, but if you want to visit the Tendos, their dojo is only two blocks away. Follow this street until the next possibility and then turn right. Then follow this street and you'll see it. Oh, and would you remove that cloak and go on a date with me?"

**  
**The cloaked figure growled once more, her fists itching. "No, but thank you anyway." she said in a barely controlled voice.

**  
**The panda took the distraction of the cloaked figure as an opportunity to subdue his companion, or to take revenge, who knew with animals? For suddenly the panda brought down his wooden sign on the back of the head of the cloaked figure and the force of the blow brought her down to her knees.

**  
**# _Hah!_ # the panda signed, # _Now you will meet your destiny, boy, and the schools will be joined!_ # he signed, convinced that his son was now too stunned to offer any resistance.

**  
**But as so often in the life of one Genma Saotome he was dead wrong. As his paw reached forward to sling his son over his shoulder, his cloaked companion suddenly seemed to blur from vision, and not a few of the bystanders rubbed their eyes.

**  
**If they had had any doubts before then that confirmed it. It was all one big dream, probably induced by some test the government was secretly commencing or something. Meanwhile the cloaked figure had reappeared behind the panda, and it lifted the panda effortlessly into the air with her right hand, right at the scruff of the neck.

**  
**A hard throw into the same wall as before later and it was the panda who saw stars. It looked quite comical how it was deeply indented in the brick wall, and moments later it slid down in a crumpled heap, only to be picked up again by the cloaked figure.

**  
**The figure gave the panda a blow to the back of the head, slung the now unconscious panda over its shoulder, and its eyes seemed to glint. "Nobody messes with Ranma Saotome, not even you, pops. And you idiot should know, I ain't no boy at the moment!"

**  
**That said the cloaked figure wandered off, leaving a stunned audience behind. Man, had that been one dream! Hopefully the government had loads more of the stuff they were currently testing, but next time they could also include some cute girls in their hallucinations, preferably without cloaks…

**  
**Meanwhile the cloaked figure by the name of Ranma Saotome was walking down the street with a panda on her shoulder, not even remotely taxed by the weight. She followed the descriptions the man had given her, and to her relief she found out that they had been correct.

**  
**There it was, the Tendo Dojo, even though Ranma had no idea why they were here. Her father had not said a word beside the fact that he wanted to visit his old friend and training companion Tendo Soun, and even though Ranma had been suspicious she had not really been able to leave the old man. After all, he was all that was left of her family as far as she knew, and up till now she had not been able to leave the old man, although that might have been a lot better for her.

**  
**"Ah yeah," Ranma mused to herself as she read the sign, "Tendo Dojo, Owner Tendo Soun, Master of the Tendo Ryu of the Musabetsu Kakuto. Hmm, at least that part of pops story has been true. It really seems as if this Tendo Soun is the Master of another branch of our Art. I wonder if he's any good…"

**  
**Then she made her presence known, and moments later a man in a brown gi with long black hair and a slim moustache came to the main gate. He was visibly irritated when his eyes fell on a cloaked figure and a… panda? "Yes, err, sir, how can I help you?" he asked cautiously.

**  
**Ranma grimaced under her hood. No wonder that the man was half-terrified, with the way they were looking right now. "I assume that you are Mr. Tendo." she said, and at the mans nod she continued, "I am Ranma Saotome, and this stupid baka here told me that you were expecting us." was the end of her explanation, as her eyes fell on two girls who were coming down the pathway.

**  
**They both seemed to be around her age, and both were quite beautiful. The, what she assumed older of the two had short brown hair that was cropped in a pageboy cut, and the glint in her eyes and the way she carried herself told Ranma that she was not someone you wanted to mess with unless you were sure of victory.

**  
**The other, younger girl had bluish-black hair in a slightly longer style than the older girl, and she carried herself somewhat like a martial artist. However, her whole posture, not to mention her aura screamed of someone with a hair-trigger temper.

**  
**Meanwhile Mr. Tendo had come out of his surprise-induced stupor, and after he had opened the main gate he came storming towards them and would have probably hugged her had she not been carrying her still unconscious baka of a pandafied father. "Oh Ranma, I can't believe that you have finally arrived, my boy! Now the schools will finally be joined!" he exclaimed, and erupted into a torrent of tears.

**  
**Ranma, on her part, was confused. "There you go too. What is it with this 'joining of the schools'? Baka pop here was rambling about the same shit."

**  
**Soun was taken aback. "What, you mean to tell me that your father did not explain to you that you are to marry one of my daughters to join our schools in marriage?" he asked surprised.

**  
**Ranma's surprise, however, was unlikely greater. "WHAT! M… marriage? Me? For Kami-samas sake, I'm only sixteen! Why would I want to marry?"

**  
**The bluish-black-haired girl, who had come nearer and was now standing behind her father nodded empathically. "Finally someone who shares my point of view, even if he is a perverted boy. See, father, I'm not the only one who thinks that this is a stupid idea." she said and crossed her arms over her chest.

**  
**Ranma shook her head in despair. "Pops, what have you done now?" she sighed, unheard by the others.

**  
**Nabiki who was trailing behind, smirked. It was just like her sister to be blunt, but on the other hand she was right. The engagement bit was quite the surprise their father had sprung at them, and the idea of having to marry a boy she knew next to nothing about was not that appealing to either of them. Though if he had money and good looks it could be an entirely different matter, at least on her part.

**  
**Soun, for his part, sputtered. "But it _is_ no stupid idea; it is a matter of family honour! The schools must be joined, as it was promised by both Genma and me before any of you were even born! You, boy, are to marry one of my daughters. It is a matter of giri!"

**  
**Ranma was about to protest, but the girl with the pageboy cut interrupted. "It would be prudent if we went inside for further discussion. There's no need to alert the neighbours of any of this." she said, and added as an afterthought **'Not if I have the exclusive rights to any titbit of information.'**

**  
**Soun Tendo nodded, his middle daughter was right. Such talk was not for their neighbours' ears, and he might get a bit louder if he had to convince the boy to act on the honour pact. If Ranma was anything like Genma, then his trusty demon-head would probably be necessary…

**  
**While Ranma followed Soun Tendo up to the house the youngest girl eyed her suspiciously. "Why are you carrying a panda with you? Is this some kind of perversity boys get off at? And why are you wearing a cloak and hiding your face?"

**  
**Ranma was taken aback at the attitude of the girl, but before she could say anything the other girl butted in. "Akane, Ranma is a guest, and in our home we treat guests with respect. So put your perversity fixation and your inquiries into the back of your head for a while, okay?"

**  
**Nabiki smirked at the grumbling of her younger sister. Little sis was always so temperamental, and it was so embarrassingly easy to turn it against her. And besides, this Ranma looked quite passable from what she could tell, aside from the tone of voice, which seemed to be a bit too high. Hmm, maybe he was not through puberty completely yet, as unlikely as that sounded. But whatever it was, she'd soon find out.

**  
**The Saotome youth nodded in thanks. "The name's Ranma. Pleased to meet you."

**  
**The middle Tendo daughter returned the nod. "My name is Nabiki, and the pleasure is all mine." she said with a smile. "You already know my little sister Akane." she said and pointed to a gagging Akane.

**  
**Ranma nodded, and now she knew that her assumptions about the girl had been correct. She had a volatile temper, and apparently also an odd fixation on perversity. What the heck was perverted about carrying her stupid and pandafied baka of a father on the shoulder?

**  
**While Ranma stepped through the door, closely followed by the two Tendo girls, Nabiki repeated the question her little sister had asked, even if more eloquently and much less insulting. "Ranma, why _are_ you carrying a panda on your shoulder? Is he a pet or something?" she asked in the hope that he was trained so that she could make money off of it.

**  
**Ranma turned her hooded head to Nabiki and smirked, and although Nabiki could not see the smirk she could feel it. "He's just a stupid animal, and I doubt that you could teach him any new tricks. Believe me, I tried. As for why I'm carrying him, he annoyed me and I had to knock him out."

**  
**"Huh?" Akane exclaimed, "How on Earth can a panda be annoying?"

**  
**Nabiki was asking herself the same question, but she felt Ranma smirk once more. "If you could get me some hot and cold water I would gladly show you." she said in an amused tone of voice.

**  
**Nonplussed, the sisters looked at each other and shrugged. Akane, wanting to know what that perverts game was went to the kitchen to inform her oldest sister that they had a guest and a… panda, and that cold and hot water would be needed. Once that had been done she returned to the living room, into which her father had led the pervert… err, guest.

**  
**"So," Soun said, "you can lay down that panda of yours over there. I assume it is house-trained?" he asked.

**  
**Ranma snorted in amusement. "Even if nothing else, yes, that he is."

**  
**Soun nodded, while Ranma dumped the panda onto the ground. From the thump that was caused Soun mused that the animal had to be quite heavy, probably around a thousand pounds or something. To be able to carry such a heavy animal without even looking taxed Ranma had to be very strong!

**  
**With gleaming eyes Soun looked forward to see what this son of Genma looked like under the cloak. "Son, why are you wearing this cloak? It is unbearably warm, so why don't you take it off?"

**  
**Ranma snorted. "The warmth is a price I'm willing to pay in face of the alternative."

**  
**"Hah! I bet you're just a chicken who's too afraid to show his face. Afraid that none of us would want to marry you? Well, you have every reason to be, because none of as are going to. At least _I_ will not marry a perverted boy!" Akane exclaimed.

**  
**This time Nabiki was sure that she saw coal-black eyes gleaming from under the hut. "Who are you to insult me in this way? You don't even know me, yet you assume that I am a pervert. Why?"

**  
**Akane glowered at Ranma. "Because you are a boy and all boys are perverts! That I know from experience!"

**  
**"Akane!" Soun scolded before Ranma could retort, "He is a guest! Get a grip on yourself."

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter shrugged, and from that Ranma guessed that the Tendo patriarch did not have much authority here. Before she could retort to Akane's response yet another girl came out of the kitchen, although 'girl' seemed to be the inappropriate term.

**  
**This was a young woman, and she was radiating beauty and serenity. "Father," she said in a melodic voice, "here is the hot and cold water that was requested." Then she looked at Ranma. "Oh my, you must be the guest Akane spoke of. Hello, I'm Kasumi." she said with a polite bow.

**  
**Ranma returned the bow. "Yes, I am Ranma. Pleased to meet you."

**  
**Akane muttered something that sounded suspiciously like pervert, and Ranma was the only one who had heard it accurately. This time she chose to ignore it. So the girl had an attitude, but maybe she was not all too bad if she got to know her first.

**  
**Soun, on his part, was getting impatient. He wanted to know what his future-son-in-law looked like. "So, what is it with that cold and hot water you wanted to show us, boy? I hope it is important, we have much to discuss. Like, for example, where is your father? He wrote that he'd bring you with him, yet he is not here while you are. Will he arrive later?"

**  
**Ranma smirked under the hood. "You could say that pops is… disguised." she said with amusement. Then she became serious once more. "Mr. Tendo, do you believe in magic?"

**  
**Soun looked surprised in face of the question. "Not per se, Ranma. I have seen a lot in my time and know that there is a lot between the Heavens and Earth that we don't know, but I can not say that I downright _believe_ in magic. Why?"

**  
**The smirk, unseen by the others, deepened. "Because you are going to witness the definite proof of magic in a few moments, and you better sit down for it." she advised.

**  
**Doubtfully but with a shrug the Tendos complied and sat down on their usual cushions at the table and watched. Ranma held the cup with hot water in her right hand. "Now you see a panda…" she said as she poured the hot water over the animal, "and now… my father!" she exclaimed.

**  
**The Tendos were as baffled as you can get. Their mouths were hanging open and their eyes were the size of dinner plates. The transformation they had just witnessed should have been scientifically impossible! "But… but…" Soun exclaimed, his brain still off-line. "Damn, I better sit down."

**  
**"You are sitting already, dad." deadpanned Nabiki.

**  
**"Oh, true."

**  
**And Nabiki, being the one most grounded in reality had gathered her bearings the fastest, while a certain Genma Saotome spent his time jumping through the living room, busily fanning himself with cool air. "Did I just see a panda turn into a human? And did you just call that man your father?"

**  
**Ranma nodded, and found the display her father was giving very amusing. "Yes to both questions, Nabiki. That baka panda is my father, and he's a baka in both forms." she stated.

**  
**The middle Tendo daughter nodded, while the rest stared, still dumbfounded. Genma, who had meanwhile recovered, stared at his cloaked child. "Respect your Elders, boy! I am still your father!" he exclaimed.

**  
**Ranma snorted. "Give me something to respect and I might just do it, old man. Else bugger off."

**  
**This exchange brought Soun back from his trip to lala-land. "G… Genma? Is that really you?" he asked as he got up.

**  
**He surveyed the tall, bulky man with his balding head and glasses, and the other man nodded, tears streaming down his face. "Yes, Soun, it is really me."

**  
**Soun shook his head, tears also streaming down his face. "But… but how?"

**  
**Genma sighed heavily as he sunk down onto one of the cushions. "Oh the horrors, Soun, you would not believe the horrors I endured in the name of training and the Art!" he exclaimed in a tragic voice, and Ranma snorted at this.

**  
**Akane, for her part, was really interested in repeating the experiment to confirm if what she had just seen was the truth. Thus, before Genma could utter another syllable, the youngest Tendo girl had gotten up and had upended the glass of cold water over the sometimes-panda. To herself she had mused that if the hot water changed the panda into a human, then the cold water would reverse it. Simple logic.

**  
**Few moments later she had proof that her theory had been correct, and Genma-panda growfed annoyed while Ranma was rolling on the floor in laughter. # _What did you do that for, girl?_ # he signed. # _And you, stop laughing, boy. Respect your poor father!_ # he signed.

**  
**That brought Ranma to her feet faster than the promise of food could ever have. "Poor father, eh? So, old man, who's brilliant idea was it to train at the 'legendary training grounds of Jusenkyo', eh? Who of us could not read one word Chinese, but was sure that it was harmless, eh? Poor father, my butt!" she exclaimed angrily.

**  
**For the first time since she had seen Ranma Nabiki had a now growing suspicion. That last exclamation had sounded too much like… righteous female fury. She knew that tone of voice much too well as she had heard it so often on her sister.

**  
**But no, that couldn't be, could it? "Ranma, don't you want to take off your cloak? It must be getting unbearably hot underneath all that thick drapery." she said as innocently as possible.

**  
**Ranma, not born yesterday, knew exactly what Nabiki intended. But inwardly she mused that she wouldn't have any other choice. They'd find out anyway at some point in time. Better get it over with now. Thus she took of her hood first, and the rest of the cloak followed. As expected, gasps could be heard. **'Well,'** Ranma mused to herself, **'why should it be different here?'**

**to be continued**…


	2. How to curb meddling fathers

**Title**: Saiyajinnyannichuan – Spring of drowned female Saiyan  
**Author name**: Trugeta

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ as well as Akira Toriyama and Funimation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Note further that I don't own any of the other trademarks mentioned in this story.

This story takes place at the beginning of the Ranma ½ series and several years after the Cell Games Saga. It's an AU, and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

Besides, please check out my other Ranma stories. I try to keep a constant level of attention to all of them.

This chapter is unbetaed as of now. Wanted to get it out anyway. Thanks to the ppl at Shinjis' board for helping me out with suggestions, ideas and comments. You rock, guys!

**  
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────**

**  
Chapter 2: How to curb meddling fathers**

**  
**Four Tendos were staring at one single person, a person who had just removed the cloak that had hidden this individuals face from view. This person was Ranma Saotome, martial artist extraordinaire, heir of the Saotome Ryu of the Musabetsu Kakuto, age sixteen. But instead of the boy the Tendos had expected this Ranma was… different.

**  
**For instead of being a tall, handsome boy, Ranma turned out to be a tall, extremely beautiful woman. Somewhat under six feet, with a superb muscle tone, but slender and perfectly proportioned at the same time. She was wearing Chinese style clothes which consisted of a red short-sleeved shirt and flowing black long pants. And somehow she was radiating power and strength. To sum it up, she was definitely a major looker.

**  
**What seemed to be a brown belt was slung around her waist, and her red hair stood mainly up in spikes that enhanced her natural beauty. The hair was done in a pigtail in the back, and large coal-black eyes with long red eyelashes never left the panda and glared daggers at him.

**  
**Soun Tendo was near to a nervous breakdown, while especially Akane felt relieved. "B… but… Genma assured me that he had a son!" he wailed, until his eyes fell on the sweating panda. "Genma! What is the meaning of this? I thought that Ranma was a boy!"

**  
**Nabiki, having been robbed off a chance to find love went over to Ranma and prodded her chest, feeling the round and firm bustline of Ranma in the process. "Father, if you honestly think that that is a boy then you need glasses. Fast." she said with amusement, which then turned into a calculating look.

**  
**Hmm, if she didn't get a rich prospective husband out of this, maybe she'd be able to make some real money off of Ranma. She was certainly beautiful enough, and if she played her cards right she and Ranma could make the big bucks with Ranma being a model and she her manager.

**  
**Yes, she'd have to suggest this to Ranma as soon as the situation had calmed down somewhat. Then there was still the option that Ranma might be cured; though she'd have to see her male form first to base her decision upon that. At the moment she had too little information, but she planned to change this state of affairs soon.

**  
**Her youngest sister was thinking along other lines. "A boy! Hah! If she'd go into the boys locker-room at my school she'd have to kill all the perverted boys!" she said with a scowl. Then she smiled friendly at Ranma. "Hello Ranma, I'm Akane."

**  
**Ranma smiled back. "Nice to meet you."

**  
**Meanwhile Soun was rounding in on Genma-panda, who was sweating more and more. # _Soun, I can explain!_ # Flip. # _Just let me change back!_ # he signed pleadingly.

**  
**Akane grinned. "Hot water changes you back, right?" she asked gloatingly.

**  
**Sweating, the panda nodded. But to Akane's dissatisfaction she noticed that the water had cooled down too much. "Aww damn, now we have to heat it again. And that when daddy wanted quick answers." she said with a pout.

**  
**A smirking Ranma came over to her. "Maybe I can be of help in that regard. Please hand me the kettle, Akane."

**  
**Shrugging, Akane complied. After all, this was not a perverted boy but a fellow girl. And apparently a girl who had suffered a lot under an idiotic father. She was really looking forward to hear what for experiences the girl had made in her life.

**  
**And besides, Ranma was so incredibly cute that she would have been hard pressed not to instantly fall in love with her if she had been a guy; she'd probably have to help her defend herself from the perverted boys in this district. Now she understood why Ranma had worn a cloak, for the girl was unearthly beautiful. No wonder that she wanted to protect herself from perverts who were only thinking with a certain part of their anatomy.

**  
**Ranma smiled cutely but evilly while those thoughts ran through Akanes' mind, and the redheads' eyes twinkled with mischief which served to enhance her beauty even more. But what happened next was completely unexpected. The pigtailed girl stepped back a few steps and seemed to concentrate. Suddenly the air seemed to be charged with power, and Akane could have sworn that Ranma's right hand with which she was holding the kettle seemed to glow.

**  
**Moments later the water was bubbling, an overly distinct proof that the water was indeed hot. "H… how did you…" Akane asked, trailing off.

**  
**The red-haired girls' smile deepened. "I used my ki to heat the water. No big deal."

**  
**Soun, who had been temporarily distracted by this display of power and control boggled. Damn, why could Ranma not have been a boy? With so much power he would surely have produced excellent heirs! But no, his old friend Genma had screwed up, how so often. It was indeed a day to weep.

**  
**But this time he did not give in to his emotions, as his anger was keeping the urge to flood the room at bay. "Your explanation better be good, Genma." he ground out.

**  
**Akane looked at Ranma with a smirk. "May I?" she asked.

**  
**The other girl understood instantly and nodded. Handing her the kettle she smirked too. "But of course, Akane."

**  
**Said Tendo girl took the kettle from Ranma and went over to where the panda was cowering. Her smirk betrayed her glee, and moments later a doused Genma Saotome was once more jumping through the living room while trying valiantly to fan himself with some cool air.

**  
**Soun was completely unamused and his look betrayed this. His chance to join the schools had gone up in smoke, and everything seemed to be Genma's fault! Once he'd uncovered the whole truth from Genma he'd retreat to his room to weep. Hopefully the insurance would cover the damage he expected. "So, Genma, I hope you have a really good explanation why the son you promised to bring is your daughter instead. And what is this 'Jusenkyo' place all about?"

**  
**Genma sat down and sighed heavily. "It all comes back to Jusenkyo, Soun, old friend. The horrors we encountered there are beyond your wildest nightmares…"

**  
Flashback**

**  
**_"Err, ya sure that this is a famous trainings ground, Pop?" Ranma had asked as he had taken a doubtful look at the strange pools of water with long bamboo poles suspended over and between them. "Ain't lookin' like much."_

_**  
**His father had snorted. "Don't doubt your elders, boy, and especially not your father! This 'Jusenkyo' is listed in this guide book I 'found', so it must be. Why else did the locals want to keep us away from here if not because it is very special, eh, boy?"_

_**  
**Ranma had not been convinced, but as this had presented an opportunity to train his balance while dunking his stupid pop into one of the pools at the same time he had not complained any further. "Okay, pop," he had exclaimed as he had jumped onto one of the poles, displaying perfect balance, "lets train!" he had exclaimed as his heavy backpack had slid to the ground._

_**  
**Genma had grinned while he had done the same. "That's the spirit, boy. Don't forget, you're no weak little girl who whines all the time, you're my manly son. Now prove to your father that you don't punch like a silly, weak girl." he had taunted._

_**  
**This insult had worked as well as many times before, and soon the fight had been joined. And although it had been visible just how good Genma was, it had been equally visible that Ranma was better. A short exchange of blows later a strong uppercut had penetrated Genma's defences, and the bulky man had landed in one of the springs. "Har har, ya have to do better than that, pop!" Ranma had exclaimed in face of his fathers' bad luck._

_**  
**During their spar a portly Chinese man in some kind of uniform had appeared and had begun shouting at them, but due to the heat of the battle both father and son had ignored the man. Now Ranma had waited for his old man to resurface from the spring with yet another taunt on his lips, but what had happened next had been completely unexpected. For instead of his father a huge panda had emerged from the spring with a growl._

_**  
**"Oh no!" the guide had exclaimed. "Honoured customer fell into Shonmaoniichuan - Spring of Drowned Panda. Very tragic story of panda that drown in this spring 2000 year ago. Very very tragic. Now whoever falls into spring take body of panda."_

_**  
**Ranma had stared slack-jawed at the animal that had risen from the spring instead of his father. The words the guide had said barely registered. What had surprised the pigtailed youth even more had been the fact that the panda had assumed his fathers' trademark attack stance and had attacked him immediately. The pigtailed boy had been much too surprised by the strange turn of events and thus he had been totally unprepared for the hard uppercut that had sent him flying._

_**  
**The trajectory of the punch had sent him straight towards a closed off area of the training grounds, and he had barely heard the worried shouts of the guide. Seconds later he had felt himself impact against something hard. **'Wood.'** Ranma's still surprised mind had realised. **'Damn, that fence was thick.'** he had added as an afterthought as he had broken through the wooden surface. _

_**  
**Only the toughness he had acquired over the years had saved him from being seriously injured or even killed. Then Ranma had felt yet another impact as he had crashed into yet another thick, wooden surface and had felt himself break through this one too. Finally he had come into contact with the spring itself, and a strange whole-body tingling had overcome him. _

_**  
**Outside the spring the guide had been running in circles while shouting to the heavens. "Oh no! Honoured customer fall into Sayaijinnyannichuan – Spring of drowned female Saiyan! Very tragic story of very beautiful Saiyan female who drown in this spring 200 years ago. Never had anyone fall into this pool. Very very tragic!" he exclaimed. _

_**  
**At just that moment Ranma had resurfaced, and spitting out some water he, or rather she had managed to catch what the guide had said. With trembling hands Ranma checked him, now herself, and truly, Ranma Saotome had sprouted breasts, among other things. Moments later a blood-curling scream had echoed through the area..._

**_  
_End flashback**

**  
**Coming back to the present Ranma growled, her coal-black eyes flashing. "But that's not the whole story. I had fallen into a pool no one had fallen into before me and which had been sealed due to the power of the being that drowned there, and after the guide did some strange stunt so that we could understand him better he told me that I had apparently been destined for this spring, and that the magic of this particular spring was now gone. Said something that I had a destiny to fulfil and that it would be very hard for me to change back into my birthform until this destiny was fulfilled. But what this destiny could be is anybody's' guess."

**  
**Shrugging cutely she looked at the Tendos. "Then the guide led us into a village populated by a strange tribe of women warriors, at least I thought that they were strange when we first arrived in their village. And that's when pops nearly screwed up fatally. The stupid idiot ate the first prize of a tournament, and then this girl, the village champion by the name of Shampoo came over and boy was she annoyed. She wanted to kill stupid pops, but I challenged her for the food and she accepted. I had just gotten used to my new body, at least somewhat, and so the fight was joined. To make a long story short, I won, but that's when things got really weird. Suddenly the girl kissed me on the cheek, and that's when the guide told us what that meant."

**  
**"What?" asked Akane breathlessly for the others, and the youngest Tendo girl forgot for the moment that Ranma was supposedly a perverted boy underneath that beautiful girl.

**  
**Ranma grimaced. "Those Amazons have a set of very strange laws. When an outsider girl defeats an Amazon warrior, the Amazon has to hunt the outsider to the end of the world and must kill her. And that's what this Shampoo wanted to do. She drew her sword and attacked me but I managed to disarm her. That carried on until suddenly an old troll, or at least I thought that that was what it was, came over and ordered Shampoo to stop. The old woman told me that she had felt my ki, and asked me why it was so unusually strong."

**  
**"What happened then?" asked Soun, who was as spell-bound as his daughters.

**  
**Ranma shrugged. "Well, I told her what had happened to me, that I had been cursed, that stupid pops had screwed up once again, that I had challenged the girl over the food and so on. Boy did the old ghoul get angry at Shampoo when she heard that she had given the Kiss of Death because of a lost challenge over _food_! I can tell you, she was that small after Cologne was through with her." she said, and held her fingers a few inches apart.

**  
**Akane smiled. "Serves her right. She really sounds like a sore loser."

**  
**The redhead smiled back. "Yeah. Turns out that the Kiss of Death was not justified, and Elder Cologne revoked it. Then she brought me over to her hut so that she could see my normal form, so that the other women warriors would not notice that I was male. After a very painful demonstration Cologne nodded to herself, and agreed with the guide. She, too, said that I had a destiny to fulfil, but not even Elder Cologne had an idea what it could be. She said that Jusenkyo had apparently been waiting for the right person to fall into the pool, but what it intends with me even she couldn't say. The old ghoul promised to look into it, though." she explained with a shrug. "After the introductions one day of evaluation followed and she had deemed me worthy of training. And that she did over the next six months while stupid pops was treated as he deserved, the most idiotic male on this planet."

**  
**Genma started to protest at that, but a glare from his daughter silenced him. "The training ranged from martial arts to how to speak and write properly, and I mean Mandarin and Japanese. Can you imagine, a _Chinese_ Amazon Elder taught me how to speak and write _Japanese_ properly! She also taught me how to be a woman, for this is what I'll be for most of the time for the rest of my life, as it seems."

**  
**Her father wanted to interrupt, but the promise of intense pain in Ranma's eyes silenced him quickly. "At first I hated it and flat out rejected it, but after some time and especially after 'these times of the months' I began to accept it." she explained.

**  
**The Tendos had obviously difficulties to absorb all this, and who could have faulted them? It was a lot to take in. Chinese curses, cursed springs, Chinese Amazons, challenges and so on. Suffice to say, the Tendos were flattened like stamps. Genma wanted to shout something, but a death glare from Ranma shut him up. And in the meantime the Saotome patriarch had found out when to better not push Ranma.

**  
**After she had called her father to order again Ranma just shrugged once more. "The Elder also opened my eyes and taught me that women are not weak, inferior, stupid or something to despise. She taught me a lot, and I'm really thankful for it. She turned a situation which could have ended badly into something positive. One could say that I combined the teachings of my father with those of Elder Cologne, and thus I have gained a normal outlook on life and people. At least in my opinion." she added with a smile.

**  
**Three Tendo girls nodded, whereas one of them glowered. Akane slowly got to her feet. "Ranma, who told you that girls are weak and so on?" she asked, a red aura forming around her.

**  
**The pigtailed girl was quite impressed by that. Akane's anger was obviously a force to be reckoned with, but they'd have to do something about it. "Pops here. He taught me his 'values' ever since we were on the road. It took the Elder over a month and a lot of headaches until she had finally driven those ideas out of my head. Now I know better. Especially after what happened at the end of the first month and after the birth of a child I witnessed in the Amazon village." she said, and the other girls raised their brows.

**  
**Akane finally nodded absently at Ranma as she was obviously not to blame, and her anger focussed on Genma. "So…" she said dangerously, as she stalked towards Genma, "girls are weak and stupid in your opinion? Something inferior and despicable?"

**  
**Genma, being as thick-headed and arrogant as he is, nodded. "Yes, of course. Look at my son over there. I raised him to be a man among men, and what does the idiot boy do once he gets cursed? He wants to stay a weak girl! Oh the shame!"

**  
**Soun looked at a steaming Ranma. "Is this true, Ranma? Do you want to stay a girl?" he asked disbelievingly.

**  
**Ranma nodded, calming down somewhat. "There are reasons for this, Mr. Tendo. Reasons pops only knows too well." she said with a hard glare. "Pops can be changed back relatively easily, but that's not the case for me. But more to that later. Now I want to know what you mean with that 'joining of the schools' shit you're rambling on about." she stated and turned the heat of her glare up several notches.

**  
**Genma pretended that he hadn't seen the glare and snorted. "Boy, you will stop this nonsense instantly and turn back into my son! The joining of the schools is too important as that it could be risked by the selfish wishes of a stupid child." he exclaimed.

**  
**Now that he had Soun to back him up he might be able to get the boy to turn back into his son. The idiot boy had stayed a worthless girl for over six months! Now it was high time in his opinion that his son was made to see reason. Soun and he would _make_ him see reason.

**  
**As Genma had hoped, Soun nodded. "I agree with you, Genma. The joining of the schools is more important than anything else. Kasumi, the water, please heat it up."

**  
**But Kasumi did not react. At least not as Soun would have expected. "Father, I am afraid that I can't comply with your selfish wishes. If Ranma wants to stay a girl, then who am I to help act against her wishes? She is an honoured guest, and it would not be proper."

**  
**The Tendo patriarch could not believe it. His sweet and innocent Kasumi was acting against him? Didn't they see how important this was? This was a matter of family honour! "So, if you don't want to help me I'll have to do it myself." he said as he went to fetch the kettle.

**  
**As his hands touched it he noticed that it was probably still hot enough, and with a triumphant grin he took the kettle and swung it around in a swift arc. The water flew through the air and cascaded over Ranma. The only thing that happened was that Ranma got wet, otherwise she stayed perfectly female. Moments later the water vaporised and her clothes were dry again.

**  
**Soun gaped. "What is this? I thought you said that warm water changed you back into your normal forms! Genma, what happened? Why did it not work on Ranma?"

**  
**Said Ranma smirked, while Genma groaned. "Oh, that's just something that baka oyaji learned the hard way. It is not easy to change me back. You wouldn't believe how often my oaf of a father tried to change me back despite of his knowledge that doing so is a lot harder than it's the case for him. I broke him off the habit, and even if you're our host, I will have to break you off the habit too if you continue to try it." she said, and shot an apologetic look towards the other girls.

**  
**The three Tendo daughters however understood her perfectly. Akane smiled to herself, as this day was turning out better than she would have expected. The perverted boy she had expected turned out to be a stunningly beautiful girl, and even if she seemed to have been a boy before she was someone she'd love to be friends with. She was polite but seemed to know what she wanted at the same time, and that was something Akane could relate to.

**  
**Let alone the way Ranma was carrying herself and how she had carried her pandafied father without any effort spoke volumes about her abilities, and maybe she could even help her with those annoying boys that were pestering her at her school. But first she'd learn more about the redhead.

**  
**Nabiki on her part was contemplating how she'd best approach Ranma to ask her about the modelling bit, and Kasumi, well, she was doing what she usually did; she observed the situation while leaving anyone in the belief that she was utterly oblivious.

**  
**Soun and Genma had congregated in a corner after Ranma's speech, and they were whispering furiously. But as silently as they whispered, due to her hearing Ranma heard every word.

**  
**… "you said that you had a boy, Genma! How shall we join the schools if your so called boy wants to remain a girl? Two girls can't produce an heir to our school!" Soun whispered fiercely.

**  
**Genma nodded solemnly. "Don't fear, Tendo, this is only a phase the boy is going through. He must have hit his head when he fell into the spring. But I swear that he'll get better, just give it time. I'm sure this whole nonsense is over soon." he said placatingly. "Maybe if we engage the boy to your youngest…"

**  
**Suddenly Ranma was in front of him. Fact, that made the Tendos blink. **'Damn,'** were the thoughts of Genma, **'I forgot how good the boy can hear!'**

**  
**Meanwhile a scowling Ranma had lifted her father bodily off the ground with a casual ease, and the Saotome patriarch could do nothing but sweat as he dangled from a one-handed steel grip. "Oyaji, if you think you can engage me to anyone you have another one coming! No offence, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi. I just don't want to be engaged to anybody, _I_ want to decide who I marry! Got that?" she asked in a steely voice.

**  
**The Saotome patriarch bigsweated. When his son-turned-daughter was like this she reminded him especially of the reason why he had left on the trainings trip in the first place. If Ranma would have had a katana she'd be the spitting image of her mother! And that was a very scary thought. "Boy, you will marry Akane! This is a matter of family honour, and because of giri the schools must be joined!" he exclaimed solemnly, trying to stand his ground although he was dangling several inches above it.

**  
**Soun nodded. "This agreement was made before the four of you were even born. It must be followed, and that is final!"

**  
**Ranma and Akane growled simultaneously and the redhead let her father drop with a look of contempt on her face while she cracked her knuckles. Genma sweated, and he knew that he would be in a world of pain soon if he and Tendo didn't manage to convince the girls and his wayward son of the necessity of their plan soon.

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter was red-faced and expressed her feelings rather loudly. "If you think that I'm going to marry another girl then you have another thing coming, dad! I'm no dyke!" she exclaimed with conviction.

**  
**Before anyone could say anything Nabiki butted in. "Sis, Ranma, we have to talk. The dojo, now. Kasumi, it would be good if you'd keep an eye on the two fathers."

**  
**Kasumi nodded, and smiled at the two older men. "Should I serve some sake for the two of you, father?" she asked sweetly and apparently innocently.

**  
**Soun looked at Genma, who looked back. "Hmm, if you're asking me this way, daughter…"

**  
**"My thoughts exactly, Tendo. Soon Ranma will see clear, and then the schools will be joined. Lets celebrate!" Genma exclaimed.

**  
**Soon Kasumi had served the sake, and the two old men were out of the way, just as Kasumi had planned. Yes, sometimes it did pay off to be viewed as oblivious and innocent, as it served her goals so well. For years she had had to care for her family, and she had been the one to maintain the peace in the household.

**  
**Now it seemed as if endeavours had to be made on her part to keep the peace in the family from being disrupted, and it looked as if she'd have to stock up on the sake to keep this Genma and her father occupied. It was essential that the other girls found a solution to this mess, for father was right, this was a matter of giri and it could not be ignored. But maybe it could be solved.

**  
Meanwhile in the Dojo**

**  
**The three girls had seated themselves onto the ground of the dojo and had made themselves as comfortable as possible. Nabiki was as cool and collected as ever, while Akane and Ranma were still steaming because of the behaviour their respective fathers had displayed. "Why did you hold us back, Nabiki?" Akane asked heatedly. "They can't do this to us!"

**  
**Ranma nodded empathically. "Yeah, if they think they can spring that at us they really have another thing coming! Stupid idiots!" she added.

**  
**Akane agreed empathically. "If they engage us my reputation at school will be completely shot! Because I'm beating up those idiotic boys every morning the girls at school already think that I'm a dyke! But I only hate those perverts who only think with a certain part of their body, and not males in general. If dad pushes the engagement I'll have no other choice but to use him for malleting target practise."

**  
**Nabiki sighed. It would apparently be a long day. "Listen up, you two, this is more complicated than it looks. Father said that the agreement between him and your father, Ranma, was made a long time ago. It is an honour pact that involves the honour of both families, which shows how important it is to them. And you can count on it that they'll do just about anything to join the schools. So, before you say anything, I need some information from you, Ranma."

**  
**The pigtailed girl, who had been silently steaming, switched into the soul of ice she had learned from Cologne. That particular technique came in very handy especially in face of the temper she had gained ever since her getting cursed at Jusenkyo. "Okay, ask away." she finally said in a calm voice.

**  
**As well Akane as Nabiki looked at her in wonderment. One second Ranma had been silently steaming, and the next she was calm and controlled. How? And where could she learn it too? "First of all, how did you do it? I mean, here you were ready to explode just a few seconds ago, and now you're as cool as a fridge."

**  
**Ranma smirked. "This is due to a handy little technique I learned from Elder Cologne. Ever since I got cursed I had a lot of problems with my temper, and baka oyaji ended up pounded flat more often than not; which is not a bad thing, mind you. In fact, right after I had been cursed I hunted him down and pounded him until he had spirals for eyes and could move no longer."

**  
**Nabiki nodded as she absorbed it, while Akane grinned at the prior predicament of the panda. "Okay, next question. Why do you want to stay a girl? You were a boy, weren't you? How complete is the change? And do you change in mind?"

**  
**The pigtailed girl thought for a moment. "Yes, I started out as a boy. Why do I want to stay a girl? Better ask why I can't stay a boy. That has to do with my curse. Pops can change back into a human with warm or hot water from 100 F upwards. Me, well that's a different story. For some reason I can only change back into my male form with really hot, scalding water. To change back I need water with a temperature above 200 F. Surely you can imagine how much that hurts. It's nearly impossible for me to change back, and each time I did I had to endure pain beyond imagination. And for the few minutes that I stay a boy before cold water finds me, that's just not worth enduring that much pain."

**  
**At seeing their incredulous stares Ranma elaborated. "That's the nastiest part of the curse. You're turned into a water magnet and will attract cold fluids everywhere. Literally. It's impossible to go in my birthform without getting splashed. I can't go five minutes in my boy-form without a water-based accident."

**  
**The Tendo sisters nodded, accepting her word for that. "And what happened after you got cursed?" asked Akane.

**  
**"Well, at first I tried to change back every day; I just could not stand the thought that I could not be male for 24/7. But regardless how much I tried, not even this body's endurance for pain could cope with the pain from water so hot; each time I tried I passed out from pain and shock." the redhead said with a grimace.

**  
**Both Tendo girls grimaced too, imagining the pain it would bring to douse oneself with water so hot. "You mentioned that you got tougher through training, Ranma. Why is it that you can't stand the hot water then?" asked Nabiki.

**  
**Ranma grimaced. "I don't really know, but I have a theory. The skin of a female is tenderer than that of a male. It reacts more sensitively to changes in temperature, for example. That's valid for humans, and it also seems to be valid for a Saiyan. My endurance for hot water in this form is higher than that of oyaji, but it seems that I have gotten to a point where it can't be raised any more; the natural resistance of this body only seems to go that far. Add to it that I'm already half-way transformed into my birthform when the boiling water hits. The pain is excruciating. If I were a male Saiyan in my other form things might be different, but I got turned into a female Saiyan. Not that I mind any more, though."

**  
**Akane and Nabiki accepted that. "It must have been hard on you, Ranma. Not that I mind that you're a girl now instead of a boy, for all boys are perverts, but it must have been difficult to get used to being a girl." the younger Tendo sister said.

**  
**The redhead nodded, letting Akane's comment about boys slide. She'd made her own experiences after all. "It was. At first I didn't want to accept it at all, and for a long time I still didn't give up and tried to get my body used to the pain; but it was to no avail. After some time I had to accept that I'd be a girl more often than a boy. Pops however was a different matter. For some reason he always tried to change me back into a boy regardless of the unbearable pain; he wanted and still wants me to stay male and manly as much as possible for some reason. But I have accepted that this isn't possible. And besides, there are compensations." the redhead said with a smile.

**  
**"Compensations, Ranma? Which?" asked Nabiki. "And how complete is the change?"

**  
**"The compensation is power, Nabiki. A lot of power. In this form I'm so much more powerful, and I can do a lot that I could never do in my boy form. I'm much stronger, tougher, I heal faster and even get stronger when I get injured and heal. And as it is the sworn duty of a martial artist to protect the weak to the best of ones abilities it's only logical. Hmm, as far as I know, the change is complete, plus an extra." she said chagrined.

**  
**That picked the other girls curiosity. "Extra?" they asked in unison.

**  
**Ranma nodded. "Remember, I fell into the spring of drowned female Saiyan. The guide said they're an extinct alien warrior race or something." she said with a shrug. "And although this form may look human, there is one major external difference."

**  
**"Really?" Akane asked. "Which?"

**  
**The red-haired girl looked somewhat chagrined. "Don't think me a pervert or anything now, but this is a part of my body as much as the rest. So please, don't freak out now, okay?"

**  
**Nabiki and Akane looked at each other, and both asked themselves what was to come now. But to reassure Ranma they both nodded. Slowly Ranma got up, and once she stood the brown belt, which actually had never been a belt, uncurled from around her waist and swished behind her.

**  
**Predictably Akane's and Nabiki's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Is this… for real?" Akane finally asked, and beat her sister to the punch.

**  
**Ranma nodded. "Yes. This is my tail. Whatever that Saiyan was that drowned in that spring 200 years ago, she had a tail. And so do I now." she said. "I hope you're not mad at me that I hid it until now, but it's rather… private."

**  
**The two younger Tendo daughters looked at each other and nodded. "Of course we understand, Ranma. It's just that we were a little… surprised." said Akane. "Say, Ranma, are there other physical differences beside that one? And do you change in mind too?" she asked curiously.

**  
**Ranma, who was relieved that they had not rejected her nodded. "The second question first, as Nabiki wanted to know too: Elder Cologne told me that one won't change unless one wants it, deep inside. I have gotten used to this body more and more, and most important, I have accepted it. Especially since it didn't give me an instant power-up. To tell you the truth, I wasn't that much stronger than I had been in my birthform when I got cursed. I had to train loads to improve, and that really hard. I would have hated to get an instant power-up without doing anything for it in return, but as that wasn't the case I'm quite happy with that form. I have to train as hard as ever, I only improve at a better rate than before. Through that I'm now a lot stronger than in my normal form, I'm also faster, tougher, my reactions and reflexes are better, and my senses are enhanced. In short, this is a warrior's body, and I like it. Akane, I have seen that you can raise a battle-aura. Want to see how we measure up?"

**  
**Akane nodded. "Okay. But I can only truly raise mine when I'm angry." she admitted a bit embarrassed.

**  
**The pigtailed girl smiled. "No problem, Akane. We'll work on this."

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter stared at Ranma. "Really? Could you really help me? And how good are you?"

**  
**Ranma smiled. "I'm one of the best. Watch." she said, and raised her full battle-aura.

**  
**Seconds later a bluish-white glow encompassed Ranma's body and steadily increased in size and apparent power. The air fairly seemed to crackle with energy, and then Ranma let her aura diminish once again. Finally she looked at the awed girls. "And this is something I can only do when I'm a girl, and it makes being a girl a lot easier for me. Can you understand that this is something I don't want to give up?"

**  
**Both Akane and Nabiki could only nod. This was by far the most impressive display of power they had seen as of yet. It was really no wonder that Ranma wanted to stay this way if she only had this amount of power when a girl. "Yes," Nabiki finally said, "I can understand that easily. But the two old men inside are a completely different matter and might even delude themselves into thinking your 'affliction' might be easy to overcome. They're hell-bent to join the schools, and frankly, I think they don't care if they rob you off that power and your happiness in the process. All daddy has been talking about since he received the card from your father is 'the joining of the schools'. And honestly, I hate that he never said a single word about the agreement between our families." she stated.

**  
**Akane nodded empathically. "No offence against you, Ranma, but if I have to marry someone I want to be able to choose. I want to get to know that person beforehand, and I sure as hell won't marry one of those perverted boys of my age. They're all perverts!"

**  
**Ranma nodded too. "I understand that. Pop never told me anything about the agreement and that I had to pick a fiancée. Like you two I want to pick out the one for me and don't want to have it decided for me, so I can relate. Aside from that, I'm far too young for marriage. But what is it with the boys here being perverts, Akane? I don't understand that bit." she said.

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter growled. "It has everything to do with those stupid morning fights! Every single morning a mob of about thirty to forty boys attack me as they want to defeat me in order to get me to date them. And the idiot whose fault it is, the one who started the whole mess is an upperclassman named Tatewaki Kuno. The guy is as loony as they come, and when I declined his offer to date me he declared that whoever wanted to date me had to defeat me in combat. Oh how I hate those stupid, perverted boys!" she exclaimed, and a red aura swirled around her.

**  
**The red-haired girl whistled to herself. Akane had a lot of potential, if only she could get her anger under control. "I see. And no one has done anything against it? I mean, why doesn't the principal do something about it? Or the police? As you describe it this is nothing short of assault and attempted rape! This can not be allowed to go on!" she exclaimed with conviction, and Akane smiled thankfully at the other girl for her support.

**  
**Nabiki sighed. "Believe me, I have tried to shut them down. But no one is able to do a thing about it, and the principal is the root of the problem. He is Tatewaki's father, and the lunacy runs in the family. Sadly the man has also a lot of influence in the ward; and add to it that the Kuno family is one of the richest in Japan. The guy has contacts everywhere, so he's able to keep everything under wraps. The only thing I could do so far was make a bad situation a bit better for our finances. I'm even selling photos of Akane to Kuno, for the situation is as bad as it can get. But at least we're earning some money through it and manage to keep the dojo afloat."

**  
**Akane snorted. "Yeah, but at my expense. I really hate those stupid fights and wish those idiotic perverted boys would grow a brain more up here." she said and pointed to her head. "Especially Kuno. I'm glad that Nabiki could always prevent Kuno from buying any candid shots of me."

**  
**Nabiki nodded. "You know, Ranma, father does not work any more and has not for now over three years. After our mother died ten years ago he just stopped to be the father we knew, and in his place was what seems to be a bad copy of him. Ever since then we had to take care of matters ourselves. Kasumi takes care of the family, I earn the money, mostly through betting, which is also what I meant regarding the morning fights, and Akane concentrates on school and the Art, as far as she can." she explained.

**  
**Ranma absorbed this information. "Damn. Now that really takes the fruitcake. One loon who can do what he wants because the even greater loon runs the loony bin; and nobody can do anything because of his connections. Just great. Akane," she said, "would you mind if I took on those boys and showed them what it means to make the practitioners of the Musabetsu Kakuto angry? I know you are a fellow martial artist and I respect that you want to solve your own problems, but it would be my honour to help you."

**  
**Akane pondered this. "Just how strong are you, physically? I mean, your aura is really something else, but how good are you really?" she asked.

**  
**She had to know for herself if Ranma was maybe good enough to teach her, seeing as her father had stopped doing so long ago. She had seen how the redhead had handled her own father, and from that alone Akane could guess that she probably no longer held the title of being the best martial artist in Nerima. But instead of being jealous Akane told herself that she could learn from this Ranma, a Ranma, who had apparently decided to live as a girl. Which was a good thing in her book. For she doubted that she would have been able to accept a boy as her sensei.

**  
**The pigtailed girl got to her feet. "I have got an idea, Akane. I'll do one of the advanced kata of my branch, 150 moves, as fast and powerful as I can. Okay?"

**  
**This was good enough for the fellow student of the Musabetsu Kakuto. "Sure. Begin whenever you want."

**  
**Ranma smiled, and began to move. Or rather to blur from existence. The girl moved so fast that she left afterimages, and once more Nabiki and Akane sat there with their mouths hanging open. From time to time an especially powerful punch or kick would disrupt the air, and two minutes later the pigtailed girl had finished the kata, and that without being the least bit out of breath to boot.

**  
**Akane and Nabiki were still gaping like fish out of the water, while Ranma made some stretches to cool down, completely unaware of how sexy it looked. Akane was glad that she hadn't asked the other girl to spar, for she would have been creamed with embarrassing ease. "I'll be damned…" she said, and Nabiki nodded. "I second that notion, sis. That was… unbelievable!"

**  
**The Saotome girl blushed. "Gee, thanks, guys. But see what ya did? Ya made me blush!" she exclaimed with a giggle.

**  
**Nabiki and Akane looked at each other, snorted and giggled too. "Ranma, answer me this: what are you now? A girl with a boy's mind or a complete girl?" Nabiki asked, after she had calmed down.

**  
**The other girl sat down cross-legged on the ground. "To be honest, I have no idea. I was born male, but this body begins to feel like 'home' more and more. And the more powerful and better I get the more the feeling increases; that's something that also scares me, for it feels as if I'm losing a part of me. But I have stayed a girl for over six months now and I really start to feel comfortable as one. This feeling of strength and power feels so good, and because of the training I do I'm getting stronger still."

**  
**"What! You're getting even stronger?" Akane asked incredulous. "I'd have thought that what you showed us is as good as one can get…" she muttered.

**  
**Ranma looked sheepish. "Not by a long shot, Akane. And yes, I am getting stronger. It seems to be one of the extras of this body. I found out about it first when I got into real training with the Elder. When I get hurt and heal, I get stronger. One time the Elder beat me within an inch of my life in the beginnings of the training, and when I was healed my power had increased tremendously. I even had her repeat the procedure after I was healed to test my theory, but it held true. Every time I got beaten up really bad and healed I got loads stronger and faster. Now, after six months of training I can do things I never dreamed of, and at the moment I'm working on making ki-blasts which are not based on emotions."

**  
**Akane and Nabiki both boggled. "You mean, if someone beats you up and you manage to get away and heal, you'll get stronger and will be able to beat this person the next time around?" Nabiki asked disbelieving.

**  
**The Saotome girl nodded once more. "Yes. After two months of training with the Elder I was able to best her, and I made an agreement with her that I'd be exempt from the outsider rules; for once she had realised how powerful I was and that I was becoming even stronger she said that the tribe was no place for me. She feared that if I stayed with the tribe the other Elders could become fearful of my growing power, and she must have noticed fast that I don't like to be chained to a place. She knew that if they'd tried to force me I'd have rebelled. And with the training and power I have I might have brought their whole tribe down. Elder Cologne saw that I need my freedom, and she respected it."

**  
**Akane and Nabiki nodded in understanding. To be chained to one place really sucked; sure, to have a home one could return to was always a good thing, but it should not become the only place where a person stayed. The redhead grinned. "Normally the Amazons would either have tried to bring me into the tribe or to kill me, but as I was a special case, Elder Cologne put her foot down and said no in her function as the leader of the tribe. Now I'm an ally of the tribe, and I and all my descendents will be forever exempt from the outsider rules."

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl snorted. "Those are stupid rules anyway. I'm glad that they did not try to make you stay there."

**  
**Nabiki agreed. "Yes, it sounds… uncivilised."

**  
**Ranma smirked. "Oh, some of them did try alright, but between us, Elder Cologne and I were able to convince those who tried to lay off pretty quickly. And when I asked the Elder why she was teaching me all those Amazon techniques which are supposed to be a closely guarded secret she told me that she considered me as her heir concerning martial arts; said something to the effect that it was good that their treasure was safe in Japan should Beijing ever find out about their tribe. Her great-granddaughter Shampoo, the one who gave me the kiss of death, is to become her heir within the tribe, an heir to her political position. Cologne said that Shampoo would never become as good as me, so she made me her heir regarding fighting. Said something that she'd recognise a fellow warrior when she saw one, and that I was to become one of the greatest. Her words, not mine." she added with a smile.

**  
**After Nabiki and Akane had absorbed this, Nabiki threw her hands in the air. "Damn, you're a lot to take in, you know that?" she said with amusement.

**  
**Ranma smirked. "If you mean that I'm a major headache, then yes, I have been told before." she said with a straight face.

**  
**Akane was the first to snort, then Nabiki followed, and finally the three girls erupted into full-blown laughter. After they had recovered somewhat Akane slapped Ranma on the back. "I haven't laughed that good in a while, Ranma, and I'm glad that you did not turn out to be some perverted boy. I'd like to be your friend, and if you would teach me, I'd like to call you sensei." she said seriously.

**  
**The Saotome girl took on a serious look too. "Akane, I'd like to be your friend too. And I'd be honoured to be your sensei; however, there're some things that have to be cleared up before we can start the training. Don't take this the wrong way, Akane, but I noticed from your aura that you have quite a temper, and that it's easily triggered. I suspect that your temper is caused by those morning fights, and also by another factor, but I'm not so clear on that one in my reading. But before I can start to teach you in earnest you have to learn how to control your emotions, for in a fight you have already lost if you give in to your emotions. Anger is especially bad, as it leads the fighter to become careless. And getting careless will give your opponent the advantage he or she might need to kill you. I don't want my friends to get killed, do you understand?" she asked with big black eyes, not knowing how cute it made her look.

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter had wanted to spring up to exclaim that she had no temper, but after listening to Ranma's logical and true explanation she knew in her heart that Ranma knew, and that she was right. After all, Ranma had admitted that she'd had temper problems herself, and she had dealt with them. She had admitted weakness and that made her the more symphatic.

**  
**With her as her sensei she might finally be able to deal with her own temper too. "I understand, Ranma. I am willing to learn, but be patient with me. Those boys at school really drive me over the edge, for I hate how they try to force themselves onto me. I'd be more than glad if you'd teach them a lesson they won't forget." she said with an evil smirk.

**  
**Nabiki as well as Ranma smirked too. Indeed, she, Nabiki would lose a source of income if the betting on the morning fights ceased, but that would be more than worth it. The stress from the fights was grating on the nerves of her sister at an increasing rate, and she'd tried everything to stop them, but without success. Maybe Ranma would succeed where she'd failed. If Kuno got hurt in the process, well, the better.

**  
**Meanwhile Ranma nodded towards Akane. "It will be my pleasure. The first thing I'm going to teach you is the 'soul of ice'. It's the technique I used to calm myself down some minutes ago, and it's very effective."

**  
**"How effective, Ranma?" Akane wanted to know.

**  
**Ranma blushed somewhat. "Let me say it this way: when I got my first period I was very moody and temperamental, which was also the reason why Elder Cologne taught me the soul of ice earlier than she wanted to. But after I had beaten up two male Amazons for looking at me the wrong way she deemed this necessary. And believe me, if it managed to calm me down, it will calm you down too."

**  
**"You... you already had your period?" Akane queried, somewhat embarrassed about asking such a perverted question; but she figured that it was alright with Ranma being a fellow girl.

**  
**The Saotome girl nodded. "Yes. Six times now. But when I got it the first time in the village I thought I'd die. I mean, I was suddenly bleeding… from down there! And baka pops had never given me the 'talk'! Had Elder Cologne not taken me aside and explained everything to me I would have died from embarrassment! Thus I only beat baka oyaji within an inch of his worthless life after I had received the necessary items. And ever since then I feel that I'm a woman in this body, for which guy can claim that he has had his period?"

**  
**The two Tendo sisters nodded. That made sense. "But how did you manage to prevent turning into a boy when our father splashed you with warm water? Oh, it was probably not hot enough, eh?" Nabiki inquired.

**  
**Ranma smirked. "No, it wasn't. Even if it had been, it wouldn't have worked anyway."

**  
**"Huh? What do you mean? I thought water hotter than 200 F would change you back." queried Akane.

**  
**The redhead nodded. "Normally it would. It just wouldn't work because of a revision of the soul of ice I invented. You know, I have a lot of ki at my disposal, and when I say a lot I mean a lot. When I combine this with the soul of ice I can instantly cool down any warm or scalding hot water that comes into contact with me. After one month of baka pops trying to change me back with scalding hot water that became instinct, and now I keep my soul of ice revised up like a shield. It's also an excellent ki-building technique. Meanwhile I just feel more comfortable in this body, and I would not want to miss the power I have in this form. It would be as if someone would cut your arm off." she explained.

**  
**Akane looked thoughtful. "I understand, Ranma. If I had acquired such power through training my body, even if it's a cursed form I would not want to lose it either. But what about your curse, even though you don't seem to see it as one. Are there any cures your father could try to use on you?"

**  
**The pigtailed girl shook her head. "Nope. Both the guide and the Elder were quite distinct on that one. There are no cures for Jusenkyo curses, and I have accepted that. Baka oyaji can wail all he wants about what an dishonour his son is, for from now on I'm his daughter more often than not, if he wants it or not. There is nothing he can do about it." she said with a smirk.

**  
**Akane grinned, while Nabiki put a hand to her chin, indicating that she was deep in thought. While Ranma and Akane held some small talk and became more acquainted with each other, Nabiki thought up a plan how to get the old men off their backs. It was clear that Akane wanted to learn from Ranma, and Ranma would also be good for her if she'd convince her to become a model. The only problem in that regard might be her tail, but considering Nerimas' usual weirdness maybe not. She'd find a solution for this potential problem, as always.

**  
**Finally a grin entered her face, and she nodded to herself. That could work. "Sorry to interrupt you two, but I just concocted something that might get the old farts off of our backs and be profitable for us, all of us."

**  
**Her younger sister looked at her suspiciously. "Come on Nabiki, I know you, what is in it for you?"

**  
**Nabiki put a hand over her heart and pretended to have been shot. "Ahh, that hurts! My own sister, my own flesh and blood, thinking something like that of me!" she exclaimed theatrically.

**  
**Ranma giggled, as she found that highly amusing, but Akane was not impressed. "Quit acting, sis. What is in for you?"

**  
**"Okay, okay," the middle Tendo daughter said. "Ranma, as you heard before, our budget is very tight, and with you two essentially being freeloaders we'll hardly manage. But I have a plan to solve this, and here you come into play. First, please hear me out, as this might be somewhat unexpected from your sight, but it is the only way to earn enough money. Second, please think about it."

**  
**When Ranma had nodded Nabiki began her explanation. "Okay, here goes. Ranma, I have a lot of contacts, and for someone with your looks I could set up a modelling career in addition to your martial arts. We can time everything as we wish, and the payment will be good. It would only be one phone-call, and it would trigger and avalanche. I know you might be uncomfortable with the idea, but it is the only thing that came to mind. Even getting your father to work would not help much. But he will have to anyway." she said with an evil smirk.

**  
**The red-haired girl slowly nodded to herself as she absorbed this information. Had she been asked two months ago she'd have said "Hell, no!", but now that she was apparently going to live with the Tendos, a family who could hardly support themselves, concessions had to be made.

**  
**And besides, maybe her baka father would actually blow a fuse. "Okay, Nabiki. If you can set this up, and I mean professionally, then do it. From your portrayal I know how hard it is for you to earn the money, and I'll do all I can to help, as long as the photos are not humiliating or anything. If so, the photographer, and by proxy you, would see me angry. Okay?" she asked with a fake-pleasant smile.

**  
**Nabiki nodded. Ranma was apparently no one to fool around with, and she had more than enough power to back herself up. "Deal. Now to our mutual share. I was thinking about 50/50, as this would be fair for all parties concerned. I'd set up a bank-account for you and me, and only the two of us would be able to access our respective accounts. Am I right to assume that your father is not to be trusted?"

**  
**Ranma nodded empathically. "Definitely. He would spend any money he could get his hands on for food and sake, and you'd see the money we earned dwindling at a rate that wouldn't even be remotely funny. No, he must not have access. That is very important." she said with chagrin. Then she smiled at the older girl. "That aside, you just got yourself a deal. Now, what was the rest of your plan?"

**  
**The middle Tendo daughter rejoiced inwardly. That had gone better than expected, and it was a relief that she would not have to take candid shots of Ranma. For she was not sure if this would not have been detrimental to her health. And as soon as this worked out she'd also stop selling photos of her baby sis to Kuno. "Well, the foundation for our plan is a possibility for you to stay here, Ranma, ideally with the fathers off all our backs. At the same time it must seem as if the agreement is still accomplishable. Therefore we must present our father an incentive and make your father content with the situation. That's where you two come in. Ranma, for this to work out you'll have to be a boy for a short amount time. Only as long as it takes to say, that you two are taking up the engagement."

**  
**"WHAT!" both Akane and Ranma exclaimed.

**  
**Nabiki smirked. She had expected this reaction. "But only to fool the fathers. They shall think that their 'joining of the schools' is still possible, and once they _do_ think that we'll make them sign our contract and turn the tables on them. We could make it seem as if the two of you are lesbians, and as I plan to set up a foolproof contract they won't be able to back out of when we turn the tables. Thus you two won't be forced into anything and can live your lives without any interference from the fathers. As soon as they sign the contract they won't be able to do a thing, trust me. We'll all be able to live in peace and in the end the agreement will go up in smoke. So what do you say?"

**  
**Akane and Ranma looked at each other. Ranma, for her part, had still no idea if she liked girls, boys or both, but she knew that she still liked girls, so she'd be able to act the part. Akane, for her part, was unsure, but as nobody had to know at school she mused it would be possible to act around the fathers as if they were lesbians. With one final look at each other they nodded. Alas, the sacrifices that had to be made in the name of the greater good. "Okay," they said in unison, "but we'll only act the part around the fathers. If it's necessary at all."

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter glared at her sister. "To put one thing straight, there's no way in hell I'm acting like a dyke at school, Nabiki! I prefer men, as you well know. I just hate the perverted boys around my age!"

**  
**The middle Tendo daughter smirked. Now that had been funny, and those blushes were even funnier. "Sure. Now to the contract. Let me think a bit about the wording…"

**  
**And that she did. After ten minutes Nabiki had come up with a contract she considered as fool-proof, and if the Ice-queen of Furinkan considered something fool-proof then it usually was. Ranma went to the bathroom with Akane, seeing as she had asked her to wake her, or rather him up after she had changed into a boy.

**  
**The shock from the scalding hot water always led to her passing out from the pain for several minutes, another reason why she hated to do that; a warrior could not afford to be unprotected for such a long timespan. To change back she dropped her soul of ice revised and used her ki to warm the water to temperatures of above 200 F, and when she dumped the water over herself a loud yell of pain echoed through the house. It was symptomatic for the fathers that they didn't even come to investigate, and a worried Kasumi was informed by Nabiki about the going-ons.

**  
**Ten minutes later Akane had managed to wake the now male Ranma back up. Being changed into a boy for the first time in months disorientated Ranma and pain from the change plus the difference in power made him nearly stumble.

**  
**Akane surveyed the now male Ranma and she had to admit that he looked quite handsome. But in her mind she had already associated the tall good-looking girl with Ranma, so in her mind this boy before her was the cursed form.

**  
**Nabiki was waiting in the hallway, and once she laid eyes on Ranma she nearly wolf-whistled. He was certainly easy on the eyes, but it was undeniable that the certain aura of power that female-Ranma had was missing. Nevertheless, it would be a loss for the female part of the species that Ranma would be a girl more often than not.

**  
**Moments later the three entered the living room, and Soun Tendo actually erupted in tears upon seeing the male Ranma. "WAAAAAAAAAAH! Genma, you were right! It only took my wonderful daughters to convince the boy of his follies! WAAAAAAAAAAH!" he exclaimed.

**  
**Genma nodded sagely. "See, Tendo, I knew the boy would finally see reason."

**  
**Ranma suppressed a shudder while he outwardly tried to look at least neutral. They had decided to leave the talking to Nabiki, and thus she stepped forward. "Daddy, we have made a decision regarding the agreement, and Akane and Ranma will take it, at least for now. There are, however, certain conditions, which are not negotiable." she began, and the steel in her voice proved her point.

**  
**The fathers nodded, surprised, and waited for what was to come now. "Go on, daughter." Soun finally said.

**  
**Nabiki nodded. Things like these she loved, and with a neutral expression she pulled out a document and began to read.  
"Paragraph One: Tendo Akane and Saotome Ranma as the engaged parties are to decide about the engagement as said individuals see fit. Decisions made by Tendo Akane and / or Saotome Ranma are to abide by and can not be changed by Tendo Soun and / or Saotome Genma."

"Paragraph Two: Living arrangements  
(1) Saotome Ranma is to be provided with a room that is not to be shared by Saotome Genma.  
(2) Neither Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki nor Tendo Akane will give up their rooms to make space for Saotome Genma. Any arrangements have to be made between Saotome Genma and Tendo Soun.  
(3) Herewith the action labelled as wakening call, further specified as throwing buckets of water at Saotome Ranma or other actions to wake up specified individual are required to be refrained from."

"Paragraph Three: No one aside from Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane has the final decision regarding if a marriage will ever take place or not."

"Paragraph Four: No hypothetical marriage will take place until both Saotome Ranma and Tendo Akane have at least finished highschool, preferably college. The decision about this paragraph is solely up to the engaged parties and can neither be influenced nor changed by Tendo Soun and Saotome Genma."

"Paragraph Five: Duration of stay and possible extension; exceptions to  
(1) Saotome Ranma is welcome to stay at the Tendo dojo for as long as highschool and college are attended, but at least for the next four years; this is valid even if Saotome Genma should not be welcome in this house any more at any given point in time. Any decision about Saotome Genmas' stay at the dojo is solely up to Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki and Tendo Akane.  
(2) Depending on the period of time Saotome Ranma needs to finish the education of choice the timespan of the specified individuals stay might be exalted; the passing of a resolution in this regard is solely up to the above mentioned Tendo sisters."

"Paragraph Six: Saotome Ranma will be searching for a cure to said individuals affliction."

"Paragraph Seven: Any try to initiate the process of the 'joining of the schools' is required to be refrained from. Meddling or outside interference in regards of above listed paragraphs is prohibited and punishable."

"Paragraph Eight: Contractual penalty in case of offending behaviour, e.g. prohibited and punishable actions as listed above  
In that case the offending party is sentenced to pay a sum of 25,000 Yen per punishable behaviour."

**  
**Soun and Genma looked at each other, and both groaned. "Damn, my head hurts. You sure that she's no lawyer, Tendo?"

**  
**Before Soun could answer a chuckle escaped Ranma, and the fathers looked at her. "No wonder that your head hurts, oyaji. That's your brain trying to comprehend its own stupidity."

**  
**"Very funny, boy." growled Genma while Akane and even Kasumi snickered, the latter behind her hand. Nabiki kept her countenance of course, but even she was amused. It would indeed be funny to make the pandas' life hell; especially after what Ranma had told them about her upbringing, if it could be called that.

**  
**Ranma and Akane looked at each other and grinned; to irritate Genma was fun. The reactions of their fathers to the contract Nabiki had drawn up were also much to their liking. The originator of the contract looked up from said piece of brilliance she had concocted and barely managed to keep in her smirk at seeing the fathers' faces. They were rather pale and whimpered, much to her amusement.

**  
**Nabiki looked coldly at the fathers. "These are the conditions, and if they're not accepted by you, each and every single one, then the engagement is off and the agreement will be dissolved. As it was only a vocal agreement with no witnesses dissolving it would be child's play. Try to go to court and you will be laughed out, that I guarantee. Especially considering some of the things Mr. Saotome has done in the past…" she said, and left untold volumes hanging in the air, which made Soun raise a brow and Genma sweat blood. "If you agree, you'll have a written agreement, which will be a lot better than the vocal, which is worth naught. So decide, and decide now, or the engagement goes up in smoke here and now."

**  
**Soun turned to Genma, and the two old men congregated in the corner, and soon furious whispers could be heard. Finally both fathers came up again. "We accept." they said together, as they had realised that they really had no choice but to agree. Everything Nabiki had said was true, and having a written pact was indeed way better.

**  
**The parties involved signed the contract, and two girls and one boy grinned at each other, and also Kasumi smiled her secret smile. They had done it, and the resistance they had had to overcome had been minimal, which had been surprising. But an easy victory was a victory after all.

**  
**After that the Tendos and Saotomes consumed the lunch Kasumi had prepared in the meantime, and especially Nabiki noticed that it had indeed been a good idea to convince Ranma to become a model. The way the two Saotomes ate, but especially Ranma, they'd probably have to buy an additional fridge. **'Probably about giant-sized.'** Nabiki thought wryly. Oh yes, with the two Saotomes living here life was bound to get interesting. Little did the Tendos know just how interesting.

**  
to be continued…**

**  
Many thanks to those of you who were kind enough to leave reviews for the last chapter: **

**  
**Lord Oberon, author, smith119, Duo the Ecchi Sessha, The DCG, Dragon Man 180, Vixen2, ss4-link, CatOnFire, damento, Iceman, Vampwriter, demongurl, Jerry Unipeg, Gelionlegends, Dumbledork, MysticSuperSaiyanGohan, conlan0414863, Laniac67, JohnnyG, Jetsmillion, Ebona Nite, tony, Silverscale, sabel4, Rejhan, MBEX, Slade13, Misarashi, Tsukamaru, mystery person, WarGiver, RubberNeck, trunks and goten, borg rabbit, holyknight, Martrex, ColdCypher, Bobboky, Darkepyon, Innortal, Wonderbee31

**  
Replies to those questions and comments that caught my eye:**

**  
Is Ranma stuck as a girl now or can he change back and forth?**

No, Ranma is not stuck; but due to the temperature needed to change back he'll live as a she more often than not.

**  
The only serious issue I would have will probably be coming up at a later date. AKA UBER RANMA! I just don't think that an almighty Ranma helps the story develop and makes it pretty onesided read.**

True. But that Ranma received a Saiyan body does not guarantee instant power. She'll have to train hard to improve, it's just that it's easier for Saiyans to improve in comparison to humans. But even not that much easier, as DBZ showed. It's just that the upper limits of the power-levels Saiyans can reach are much higher.

**  
Are you going to continue Legend reborn?**

Of course I am.

**  
The entire idea of 'Spring of Drowned Saiyan' has been abused so many times it's not even clever, or new. I mean, the last fic you updated was the same base idea, only with male Saiyan.**

As pointed out by some other reviewers, the idea of a Saiyan female Ranma has seldom been used. I, for my part didn't find any such fics here on f f . n e t and thought to try out this variant to look where it'll lead me.

**  
Are u going to make Ranma so beautiful as in other stories like blonde 1/2 or dna 1/2 where when anyone sees her, they fall in love or something like that or is the cloak hiding the fact that there is something more sinister to the curse?**

The female Saiyan Ranma is at least beautiful enough to be modelling, though the tail might pose a problem. But in other words, she's a major looker; I'm sure the unwanted male attention is going to annoy Ranma verily…

**  
If he's stronger as a girl, will they keep splashing him all the time?**

Genma and Soun will probably continue to do so, but as seen here Ranma has techniques to stop that…

**  
If Ranma can change back will he be human, half human or Saiyan?**

Ranma is a pureblooded Saiyan in female Saiyan form and a full human in birthform.

**  
It'd be really funny when you bring Ryoga in to have him have the same curse as Ranma cause the P-chan thing is getting old and Ranma wont have to suffer alone.**

That's an interesting thought. Ryoga with the same curse… that has possibilities. I might use that suggestion; for I agree, the P-chan thing is really getting old.

**  
A full-blooded female Saiyan was never really touched upon in the Dragonball series and that gives you a lot of room to work with in appearance, nature, biology, standing in Saiyan society, ect.**

I agree with you, there's a lot of room to work with in several regards; the few times one could see them (in DBZ movie 'Bardock', as some reviewers pointed out) left a lot open.

**  
Can't see this story as smth really large though, but 4-7 chapters full of fun is almost a granted.**

To be honest, I have no idea how many chapters this story is going to encompass; I never know with my stories.

**  
Will the DBZ gang show up soon?**

I haven't decided yet when they will; as Ranma is still relatively weak as of yet it might take some time. But I'll clarify that later.

**  
Oh and one more thing...although Ranma/Akane isn't my fav pairing...you should be a little nicer about it...**

I know, and I was, wasn't I:D Akane just had a bad day at school, that was all.

**  
I wonder when she'll go super, and if the curse will be locked like that.**

It will be some time until Ranma will go Super. She's still much too weak and has loads of training ahead of her before her power-level is high enough. Then there's still the fact that she has to find the driving needs that's required to transform.  
As for the curse being locked like that, interesting idea, but probably not.

**  
Wonder what Nodoka will say if she ever comes.**

That will indeed be an interesting meeting. I'll try to bring her into this story a lot earlier than the canon did.

**  
I think the Saiyan curse should be strong enough to lap over into his male half making him at least 1/2 Saiyan in both Forms.**

That's something I'm considering.


	3. Life with Genma

**Title**: Saiyajinnyannichuan – Spring of drowned female Saiyan  
**Author name**: Trugeta

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ as well as Akira Toriyama and many others. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Note further that I don't own any of the trademarks mentioned in this story. So suing is senseless.

This story takes place at the beginning of the Ranma ½ series and several years after the Cell Games Saga. It's an AU, and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

**  
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────**

**  
Chapter 3: Life with Genma**

**  
**The first thing Ranma did after lunch was to pat his belly. It had been a long time since their leave-taking from the Amazon village that he had had the occasion to enjoy food this good, and a content sigh indicated how satisfied Ranma was.

**  
**Soun and Genma had long since retreated to the shogi board to play, and only the three Tendo sisters and the male Ranma were left at the table. Together the four began to clean said table, and the pigtailed youth placed the dishes in the sink. Just at the moment the moment he turned away from the sink the cold-water-pipe burst and showered the pigtailed youth, instantly changing him into a her. "Must the curse always go overboard?" grumbled the redhead.

**  
**Akane, who had been behind her hurried and turned the water off. "Now that's impressive proof of the coldwater magnet part you mentioned, Ranma."

**  
**"Not to mention a costly one. It seems we would do well on having you stay in female form only, Ranma. Do such accidents happen often?" Nabiki asked.

**  
**"Only about every five minutes when I'm in male form, why?" asked the redhead with a sigh while she used her ki to dry her clothes.

**  
**Nabiki shook her head. "Hadn't I seen it with my own two eyes I wouldn't have believed it. I had the cold-water-pipe repaired a month ago. Too bad for the firm that I negotiated unlimited guarantee." she said with a smirk and fetched her cell-phone from her jeans.

**  
**While Nabiki was busy calling the firm Ranma cracked her joints and sighed satisfied. Akane, who was standing at the counter with her arms crossed smiled. "Feeling better, Ranma?" she asked with humour in her voice.

**  
**Ranma smirked back. "You betcha, Akane. I can only describe the feeling as if I had gone blind when I was a boy, and as soon as I was a female again I could see once more. The difference is… peculiar."

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter nodded. "I can hardly imagine it, but your analogy makes it understandable. What?" she asked at the surprised face Ranma was making, "You're not the only one who can use big words." she finished slightly annoyed.

**  
**At Akane's expression Ranma had begun to snort, but when the other girl had been finished that snort had turned into a giggle. Soon Ranma was red from laughter, a condition she shared with a now annoyed Akane.

**  
**As soon as Ranma saw this she presented warding signs. "Sorry, Akane, but that was just too funny. I had to think of how you would have reacted if I had appeared here as my father had raised me. Before Elder Cologne taught me what being a woman means and how one should view women appropriately I was of the opinion that girls were some delicate flowers who wanted and needed to be protected by big, strong me."

**  
**Akane growled. "You can be sure that I would have pounded you flat with that attitude."

**  
**Ranma grinned. "I can imagine. Pops had taught me that girls were weak and soft and not fit to learn or execute the art. But now, thanks to what happened at Jusenkyo and thanks to Cologne, I know differently. I'm now a woman myself, and I know that I'm not any of what pops accused girls of being. And I know that you or your sisters are neither. If he claims any such nonsense just clobber him until he's unconscious, I found out that shuts him up most efficiently."

**  
**Akane snorted. "Doesn't surprise me with that baka."

**  
**Ranma grinned and nodded. "As for using the big words, can you imagine how ironic it is that an Elder of the _Chinese_ Amazons taught me how to speak and behave properly? Granted, it took her loads of persistence, patience and stubbornness to get it through my thick skull, but it was worth it. You know, sometimes I really have the feeling that my father wilfully raised me to be this ignorant."

**  
**Akane, who had calmed down enough to listen, raised a brow. Oh yeah, that was indeed ironic, but it was an irony that cost Genma, and that was good so. "What do you mean by this, Ranma?"

**  
**Ranma sighed. "Think about is this way. I was taken onto a ten year training trip when I was five. Taken away from my mother, as pops deemed her an unseemly influence on me. He wanted me to focus solely on the art, and nothing else. I think he wanted to create a child that was totally dependent on him, and once he was done he wanted to marry the child, me, off to one of the children of his best friend, your father. But pops had not expected what happened at Jusenkyo."

**  
**The other girl boggled. "You really mean to say that he did that voluntarily? I can hardly believe it. But from what you told me and from what I have seen of your father it must be the truth. What else did he do to you, Ranma? What has happened to you in those ten years?"

**  
**The red-haired girl sighed once more. "That is not told in haste, Akane. It would be best if we got your sisters with us, as it makes no sense to tell the same story three times. But I warn you, it is not pretty. Some things are downright nasty and will take a strong stomach."

**  
**Akane gulped, and a feeling of foreboding began to rise up inside of her. Before the morning fights she had always been a good judge of character, and somehow she had sensed that Ranma carried a tale with her. And apparently it was a bad tale, with her father as the villain. "Okay, Ranma. I can get Kasumi and Nabiki whenever you want to so that we can gather in my room. It is Saturday and that means that daddy won't disturb us, and if your father tries… well, I figure he does not like dangling from your grip much now, does he?" she asked with an evil smirk.

**  
**Ranma mirrored the smirk. "I'd say definitely not. If he tries anything, its kapowie into the pond I saw earlier. As a panda he ain't so darn annoying at least."

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl nodded. "Okay, I'll go get my sisters. You can go upstairs into my room already. It's the third room on the left side and has a sign on it that says, unsurprisingly, Akane." she said with a smile.

**  
**The pigtailed girl nodded and smiled back. "I'll do that. Thanks for trusting me to enter your room alone, Akane."

**  
**Akane smiled. "You're welcome. Friends trust each other, and I trust you as a friend and sensei."

**  
**That brought a big smile also to Ranma's face. "Thanks, Akane. Friends."

**  
**This simple statement showed Akane just how much Ranma must have missed out in her travels. Apparently she had not had many friends in those years, and from what she knew of Genma he had probably ensured that Ranma did not keep her few friends for long. After all, friends could be viewed as distractions to the Art. Phew, this man was pathetic!

**  
**If he should try anything like that with the friends Ranma would hopefully gain here she'd ensure that he'd regret it deeply. He might be the father of her friend and 'fiancé', but as he also seemed to be a major asshole he was fair game. **'Hmm, maybe I should ask Nabiki to dig around on info concerning that fat baka. Having some background info can not hurt…'** she mused to herself.

**  
**While Akane went to fetch her sisters Ranma was already on her way to Akane's room. To her bad luck she encountered her father in the hallway, and as usually, he began to harp at her. "Boy, what are you doing, running around as a weak and worthless girl? Have you no shame? I should… ERK!"

**  
**Sometimes Ranma asked herself when she'd finally lose her patience with the fat oaf that was her father. Considering her strength it should be easy to punt him to the next ward, which could serve to shut him up for a longer stretch of time. Hmm, maybe she should consider using some blunt weapon or something to raise her effectivity. "Oyaji, I say it for the last time: never call me a weak and worthless girl again if you value your life. I'm neither weak nor worthless, and if you don't change your attitude soon I'm gonna find out what mom did to keep you in line. Got me?"

**  
**As soon as Ranma had mentioned her mother Genma's face had become ashen-faced. If his son-turned-daughter found out about Nodoka and a certain pact she'd probably skin him alive! And as only his sense of self-preservation was stronger than his appetite Genma Saotome bopped his head up and down rapidly.

**  
**With a derisive snort his errant son, err, daughter dropped him onto the ground, and Genma rubbed his aching throat. Either it was his imagination or the steel grip of Ranma got stronger and stronger. Nah, that could not be possible. No one could improve that much in such a short amount of time, not even someone like his son.

**  
**But due to the Jusenkyo curse Ranma had now it was nearly impossible to harm him bodily or to command him around like in good old times. He'd have to do something about it. After all, if he could exert influence on Ranma or even Soun's youngest he could influence the engagement. And first of all he'd have to ensure that Ranma stayed male as much as possible. To be honest, he was downright frightened of Ranma-chan, as she reminded him way to much of Nodoka.

**  
**A somewhat grumpy Ranma was just about to enter Akane's room when she felt a slight cramp. Okay, no wonder she had been so annoyed with the baka panda as of late as it was apparently time for her monthlies. Hopefully this time would go by without property damage. Good that the panda was and always would be fair game, she thought with a smirk.

**  
**Deciding it would be better to get a pad in place just in case Ranma went downstairs once more and entered the bathroom. Making sure that the 'occupied' sign was out she entered the bathroom and prepared everything. She just got her panties down when the door opened all of a sudden.

**  
**Father and son-turned-daughter looked each other in the eyes, and lightning flashed in the eyes of Ranma. "Get the hell outta here pops, or I'll toast yer freakin' butt, damn it!" she yelled and only the soul of ice was keeping her from eviscerating him.

**  
**Genma could only nod dumbly, too speechless by what he had just seen. No, that was something he never wanted to see again. His son, his manly son, wearing panties and placing something in them. As he was nearly out of the door he gathered all his braveness and turned around, "Just what the hell do you think you're doing, boy? No son of mine is wearing panties! What are you, a sissy?"

**  
**Ranma scowled while she pulled her panties and pants back up again, as other footsteps could be heard. "Not that it ain't any of your damn business, but I'm gettin' my period. And if ya annoy me any further it will be kapowie to the next ward. Now bugger the hell off!"

**  
**The Saotome patriarch could only stare. Period? Again? Damn, if this would be like the last times he'd get the hell outta here. But wait. "I demand that you turn back into my manly son this instant to prevent this unnaturalness from occurring again, do you hear me? You will end this dishonourable travesty! I demand that you become my son and remain my son!"

**  
**Even braver men would have cowered before the glare that was sent Genma's way, and Akane, who entered just at this moment, was witness how Ranma was in the process of suitably cowing her idiot father. Flashing eyes and one deep intake of breathe later. "How DARE you harp at me about honour! You idiot! Who the heck shot our family so much that it is now beyond repair, huh?" she asked as she stalked forward. "Who sold me for food so often that I lost track? Who sold me and stole me back on more occasions than I can remember? Who engaged me so often that it isn't even remotely funny? Who was the idiot who taught me the Neko-ken? The answer is YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU!" she yelled, and each you was accompanied by a hard jab to the chest of her father.

**  
**Ranma then stalked towards her backpedalling father and cracked her knuckles, and Genma was soon cowering in the far corner. With flashing eyes the redhead took in another deep breathe. "If you ever again dare to demand anything of me, old man, then what I did to you after I got this body will look very tame in comparison. Got me?" she asked with an intimidating growl.

**  
**Genma bopped his head up and down rapidly; even Akane admired Ranma. The girl was really scary! Said pigtailed girl covered the distance that separated her from her father in what seemed to be one step for her. For Genma she just suddenly reappeared behind him, and he felt how he was lifted into the air, again. "And now, in the vain hope that you might learn I'll teach you a lesson."

**  
**Taking a glance at Akane she said "Excuse me for a moment, love, I'll just take the garbage out. Won't take long. But if you want to you can gladly accompany me." she said sweetly.

**  
**Akane boggled at first until she realised that Ranma had nothing perverted in mind. After all, this was an act, and she had to play her role. "I'd really like to accompany you, honey." she said, deciding to play the role down to the hilt. "Seeing my strong fiancé taking out the garbage can be really exciting." she said with all the talent she had acquired in her acting classes.

**  
**That Ranma was impressed by the performance could be seen by the glint in her eyes, but Genma noticed none of it due to the fact that he was currently carried out of the house by the scruff of the neck. Once Ranma was outside she readied herself to send her annoying father into the koi-pond, preferably after a severe beating.

**  
**However, a sudden inspiration struck her instead, and she wanted to involve Akane in this as she had a certain suspicion; besides, if what she suspected was true it would get much more painful for her idiot father. "Say, pop, do you still think that girls are weak and worthless, even my cute 'fiancée' here?" she asked in a sweet voice.

**  
**The panda, who would not have been able to grow a brain if his life depended on it nodded. "All girls are weak and worthless, and the only things they're good for are working in the kitchen and bearing and raising children." he exclaimed with conviction.

**  
**However, a sudden growl from a throat that was not that of his daughter made him question if he shouldn't have better kept his trapdoor shut. Would Genma Saotome have been able to see Akane he would have _known_ that he _should_ have kept it shut. For the youngest Tendo daughter had her battle-aura flared up around her, and then Akane did what she had always done when confronted with something that made her temper boil: she reached for her mallet.

**  
**And a satisfied Ranma watched as her 'fiancée' manipulated her own ki, probably without her conscious knowledge. Seconds later her ki formed into something that looked like a mallet, and Ranma was impressed that Akane actually managed to pull it off. So Akane could actually access something that she, Ranma, had seen performed in China by Elder Cologne; she had dubbed it stuffspace, but up till now she herself had been unable to reach it.

**  
**Though she'd have to work with Akane on her temper. If she became too dependent on her anger it would shortly become the only thing she could feel. The first thing she'd teach her 'iinazuke' was the soul of ice, but with the potential Akane was showing that should not be a problem. Smirking to herself Ranma walked over to the steaming Akane and whispered something into her ear.

**  
**An evil smirk entered Akane's face and she nodded. With a battlecry of "GENMA NO BAKA!" said Saotome patriarch was launched high into the air, and two smirking girls watched him sail over the horizon. Akane grinned at Ranma. "Good that you suggested that. I would just have launched him into the Koi-pond, but you're right, it would have disturbed the poor Koi. And I think I added enough of a wham so that he'll fly all the way to the Suginami ward and land in the Zenpukujigawa river. If not then I bet he'll give me loads of occasions to practise in the future." she said with an evil grin.

**  
**Ranma shared her grin and snickered as she sat down on one of the stones that surrounded the Koi-pond. "I bet the stupid old man will. He's hopeless. And I hope he'll get one hell of a headache too! Honestly, running in on me like that when I'm doing… doing something like that."

**  
**Akane looked puzzled while she sat down too. "Something like that?" she asked, suddenly suspicious if Ranma could mean something perverted.

**  
**Said Ranma blushed. "You know… female stuff. I'm getting my monthlies and prepared for them, and the stupid oaf walked in on me."

**  
**"What!" Akane exclaimed, any suspicions about Ranma banished in face of the proof that she hadn't had anything perverted in mind, "He did _that_? Wasn't the sign out?" she asked incensed.

**  
**The pigtailed girl nodded. "It was. I was extra careful to put it out to avoid any incident. After all, this is a very private thing. And then he had the gall to demand that I change back into a boy! As if. Hah!"

**  
**Akane was beginning to glow again. That… that pitiful excuse for a father wanted his child to be a perverted boy when he had a perfect daughter? A strong and admirable young woman who everyone would love to be friends with? That… pervert! "If you ever need any help dealing with your 'father' just say so, Ranma. I can't stand perverts, and your father fits the description of one." she said with conviction.

**  
**Ranma smiled. She really liked this Akane who was not like the person she had come to know when she'd still worn her cloak. Obviously she really hated boys her age with a vengeance, and because of what she'd heard of the boys at her school probably with just reason. However, it had to be made sure that Akane had not suffered from psychological damage.

**  
**Anyway, she'd stop those idiots from trying to hurt her new friend and she already had a strategy how to do so. Returning to the present she nodded and smiled. "Will do, Akane. Thank you. You know, I'm really looking forward to my monthlies this time. They give me the more justification to wreck chaos and havoc upon pops. And if I'm right then I will be able to figure out how you do that cool mallet attack."

**  
**That brought a gleam into Akane's eyes. "You mean how to do it consciously?" she asked, and at the red-haired girls nod she continued. "Now that would be great! But how…"

**  
**"How will I be able to figure it out, you mean?" Ranma asked, and Akane nodded. The pigtailed girl smiled. "I have the talent to copy anyone's moves that I see nearly instantly. It is something that even increased after I got this new body. I know it sounds strange, but I just have to watch someone do a technique once or twice, and I can copy it." she said in the breast note of confidence.

**  
**Akane looked disbelieving. "Come on, you're pulling my leg here." she said, thinking this was some joke. However, Ranma's expression remained unchanged. "You're… you're not? You're serious?"

**  
**Ranma nodded. "Yes, and once our favourite target is back I'll be able to show you. Once he returns and says only one annoying thing, mallet him into the Koi-pond but make it so that I can watch your mallet attack."

**  
**The other girl nodded. "Okay, Ranma. This I gotta see. But now let me fetch Nabiki and Kasumi, so that we can hear your complete life story; what you told us already, at least Nabiki and me was gruesome enough. But maybe we should fetch some popcorn and soda? It would probably go well with this horror story." she added with a smile.

**  
**"Eh?" Ranma asked, as she had never been in a cinema before.

**  
**"Oh," Akane exclaimed, "I forgot that you were on the road for ten years, and because you don't act like it I forgot that you probably never were to a cinema." At Ranma's confirming nod she continued. "When you go to a movie, you usually buy popcorn and soda, or tacos, cola, and so on. You know what popcorn is?"

**  
**Ranma shook her head, and Akane shook hers too. "Damn, your father really tried to keep you ignorant. You know, we really should continue that social training the Elder you mentioned put you through. Yeah, some girl training would definitely do you good. But now to the popcorn. You get popcorn when you heat small kernels of corn to make them explode. Then you eat them either with salt, sugar or butter. It tastes really good. So, if anyone has a good story to tell one says 'let's get the popcorn and the soda'."

**  
**The red-haired girl nodded. "Got it. Thanks for explaining that, Akane. And I guess you're right, some more girl training would surely do me good. After all, I've only been a girl for six months and I got a lot to catch up to."

**  
**Akane nodded while she shifted her position on her stone to be more comfortable. "Do you really want to stay a girl for the rest of your life? I mean, not that I'd mind, it is your life and your decision and I like you better as a girl, as far as I can tell, but why do you want to be a girl?"

**  
**Ranma sighed as she shifted her position too. She did not notice how her tail uncurled from her waist and began swishing around. Akane did notice, and she mused that this must be hard on Ranma if she was this agitated. "You know, I was always raised to be a 'man among men', whatever that may be. From early on, ever since when I was five years old pop always harped on me not to be a weak little girl, and that I had to uphold the family honour as a strong man. All the while pop dragged me into one idiocy after the next, but I'll come to that once we fetch your sisters. Then it all culminated in Jusenkyo where I got cursed. And suddenly I was a girl, and a darn powerful one. You know, before, as a boy, I had never felt this powerful. Sure, I was good and strong, but this was something else. That was the first time that I realised that pops had been wrong about girls."

**  
**"And what happened then?" asked a very curious Akane.

**  
**The other girl smirked. "Pops did what he usually does; he insulted me and said I should stop being a silly and weak little girl. That I did, and I showed him that I'm a strong and big girl, and sure as hell not silly. After I had beaten him within an inch of his life I slung him across my shoulder and walked to the guide. The guy led me and the panda to the village of the Chinese Amazons, and you know the rest. There I learned the truth about women, and I found my personal truth in the middle between the views of my pops and Elder Cologne. Women are not weak, but they're usually strong in other ways than men. We are the exception, as we are physically strong too. And I think that is something pops fears. He's afraid of strong women, and he wanted to make me into someone who despises women and sees them as useless too. But fate interfered and now the idiot has a daughter, me."

**  
**Akane nodded. But she had not answered the question, at least not directly. "But why do you want to live as a girl? Only because of the power you have in this body? Couldn't you reach it with enough training as a boy if you ever found a cure? I mean not that I'd want you to, but you catch my drift."

**  
**Ranma shook her head. "No, Akane. That is something I'm sure of. I could train for decades as a boy and would not even reach the level I'm _now_ at as a girl. Err, would anyone miss this stone over there, Akane?" she asked.

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter followed the line Ranma was pointing at until she saw the stone. "No, I think not, Ranma. Why?"

**  
**The pigtailed girl got to her feet. "Because I want to show you something I could never do as a boy. It is not perfected yet, but it will do for demonstrational purposes." she said with a smile.

**  
**Akane got to her feet too to have a good view. Whatever Ranma had planned, it should be interesting. The Tendo daughter watched as her friend seemed to gather her energy once more and moments later she fired what looked like a yellow ball, estimately the size of a beach ball, at the rock. Without exclamation or further ado. And when the yellow ball impacted against the stone, the target was blasted to bits which were raining down into the koi-pond and onto the adjacent garden.

**  
**The youngest daughter of Soun Tendo was standing there with her mouth hanging open. "Did… did I just… no, I must be seeing things…" she trailed off, rubbing her eyes.

**  
**Ranma wore an amused smile on her face as she waved her hand in front of her friends' face. "Helloooo, earth to Akane… someone at home?" she asked with a giggle.

**  
**That seemed to do the trick, and Akane returned to reality. "Ranma, did you just fire a yellow ball of light at the stone and the thing exploded? Just like that?"

**  
**The Saotome girl nodded. "Yep. That was an energy blast I've been working on. It's not perfected as of now and has not reached full strength yet, but it does not need emotions as a base. Pretty cool, huh?"

**  
**Akane sweatdropped. "Err, yeah. Pretty damn cool." then she shook her head to clear it, but the destroyed bits of the former stone remained. "And you couldn't do that as a boy, eh?"

**  
**Ranma shook her head and sat down once more, as did Akane. "I'd be lucky if I could shoot an emotion-based ki-blast. But I try to avoid those, for the user gets addicted to them after a while. For example, if I based my ki-blast on, say, confidence, then I'd slowly get addicted to it, and after a while the usage of those blasts would lead to overconfidence. And what is one of the most important lessons in a fight?"

**  
**Akane answered promptly. "Overconfidence makes you act sloppy and it will get you killed." she said as she remembered this and more. "Only the one with control over his emotions is the one in control of the battle. Damn, I had nearly forgotten those. Seems as if I have a lot of work ahead of me, huh?"

**  
**The red-haired girl shook her head and smiled. "Not as much as you think. If the soul of ice got _my_ temper under control, and especially that if I'm moody, then it should work just fine for you too." she said confidently. "Now, how about we fetch your sister and get us some popcorn and soda?" she asked with a smirk as she got up.

**  
**Her friend got up to and mirrored the smirk. "Sounds good to me. And you learn fast."

**  
**Together the two young women got up and went into the house. Akane had first thought her new friend had made a joke, but Ranma went straight to the kitchen where Kasumi was still working. Upon entering the older girl looked at the newcomers. "Hello, you two." she said with a serene smile.

**  
**Akane waved a 'Hi' at her sister, while Ranma smiled back. "Kasumi, do you have the ingredients so that we could make popcorn?" the pigtailed girl asked hopefully.

**  
**The oldest Tendo daughter looked a bit surprised at Ranma. "Why, yes. But aren't you still filled from lunch?"

**  
**Ranma shook her head with a sheepish smile. "Err, not really. I can eat quite a lot. And Akane here told me that one makes popcorn if one goes into the cinema or watches some interesting movie on TV. Or has something interesting to tell. Well, I'm gonna tell you my full and unedited life story, so Akane suggested, as a joke, to get some popcorn and soda. But I never tasted any popcorn before…" she said with big, hopeful eyes.

**  
**Akane who was standing a bit in the background nodded to herself. Ranma was playing it very well, and with a bit of polishing she would become a great girl. Already she was becoming a friend, and that was more than she would have expected after the news that their fiancé would come to pick one of them as his bride.

**  
**The youngest Tendo daughter watched with amusement as her older sister melted under the puppy-dog-eye-attack of Ranma, and finally she gave in. "Oh my, you're going to tell us your life-story? But of course I will prepare snacks for it." she said with a hint of eagerness.

**  
**Being the housewife she was always interested in what was going on in peoples lives, and especially if Ranma was to live with them for quite some time it would be good to have background information on her. "Are we going to meet in your room, sis?" she asked towards Akane.

**  
**Said Tendo girl nodded. "Yes, big sis. I'll fetch Nabiki and we'll wait for you upstairs in my room."

**  
**Kasumi nodded, and with that Akane departed, closely followed by Ranma. The two girls went in search for Nabiki, and Ranma took Akane by the arm and led her unerringly towards the bathroom. "Huh? Do you need to use the bathroom, Ranma?" Akane asked confused.

**  
**Ranma smiled amused. "No, Akane. Your sister is in here, and I figured if anyone can fetch her from here, then you."

**  
**Now Akane was even more confused. And her confusion rose a few levels when a voice from inside the bathroom rang out. "Can't a girl mind her business in some peace and quiet?" drawled Nabiki's voice.

**  
**Akane looked at Ranma as if she'd seen a ghost. "How did you know that, Ranma?"

**  
**The pigtailed girl smiled. "That is something I can teach you too once we have begun working on your temper. If you have mastered the soul of ice and can access a state of calmness you can sense other people's ki. Sure, we'll have to train your ki-senses first, but after you got the soul of ice down we'll start with it."

**  
**This prospect made Akane look like a five year old in a candy store, more specifically like a five year old who had been allowed to buy half of the store. "Really?" she asked happily. "Can you even teach me how to fire those blasts?" came the next excited questions.

**  
**"Hey, you two," came Nabiki's voice from inside the bathroom, "I'm trying to analyse the stock markets for a trend here. So mind if you continue your talk elsewhere?"

**  
**Akane and Ranma looked at each other and giggled simultaneously. The mental image of Nabiki reading the stock market while doing her business was just too funny. "Sure, sis #snort#. We'll be upstairs, and it would be good if you'd join us in a few mins. Ranma wants to tell us her full life story with everything that Genma did to her. Should be interesting, ne?"

**  
**"Yes," Ranma added, "all the details, plus Kasumi makes us popcorn. We'll be waiting for you."

**  
**Rustling of paper could be heard, and moments later a toilet was flushed. Then the water from the sink could be heard and a few seconds later the door opened and a Nabiki with gleaming eyes exited. "All the details, you said? Ohh, a juicy story! What are you waiting for, then?" she said and went ahead.

**  
**Akane grinned. Her new friend had caught on quickly. If one thing worked to get Nabiki from the loo it was to make her curious. And if one thing served to make her curious it was the promise of juicy information. Without much further conversation but with amused looks Ranma and Akane shared the three girls went to Akane's room, where Kasumi was already waiting for them.

**  
**The oldest Tendo daughter was sitting on the bed in the right corner of the room, while a trayful of popcorn in a bowl and soda for all four of them was standing on the desktop that stood next to the bed. Soon sitting arrangements had been made, and while the three Tendo girls were sitting on the bed Ranma had grabbed herself an office chair on which she was sitting in reverse.

**  
**As soon as anyone was served with popcorn Ranma began to relate her story. The leave-taking onto the training trip her father had dragged her off onto at an abnormally early age served as a prelude. The Tendo girls gulped at the idea of being dragged away at age five, and the way Ranma told it she must have been carried out of the house slung over the shoulder of her father.

**  
**A father, who had feared that the influence of her mother would make her go soft and weak. How she had been beaten upon by her father in training until she had not been able to defend herself any more, and how her father had carried on to beat upon her despite that. How she had had to fight her father for food and often ended up hungry, while her stupid pops grew fatter and fatter by the day.

**  
**The Tendo girls saw that Ranma visibly repressed tears when she said how much she had missed her mother during that time, and that she did not know if her mother was still alive. According to her father she could as well have died in the meantime.

**  
**The three Tendo girls shared a look and asked themselves which mother would allow that her child was dragged away from her. All three, even Nabiki, agreed that anyone trying to pull a stunt like this would to have to drag their child out of their dead fingers.

**  
**Ranma went on with her tale and explained in detail what her father had done to her in the name of training and the Art. How he had increased her speed by binding her to the rear of a train and how she had had to run behind it as it sped off. How her father had set angry hornets on her so that her dodges became faster. That he had bound weights to her feet and dumped her into the ocean as a method to learn how to swim.

**  
**Then the thefts Genma had committed, the times when he had sold Ranma for food and stolen her, or rather him at the time, back. The engagements for food, so often that Ranma could not say with certainty how often Genma had done this, and especially the one time when her father had sold her for not more than two fish, rice and pickles.

**  
**How little friends she had had during her travels and that her father had always made sure that she lost them at the very next possibility. When she was asked if she could remember any friends from her youth she had just shrugged and had only been able to give vague descriptions that betrayed how lonely she had been.

**  
**Akane as the most emotional of the three girls was hard pressed to hold back her tears, but the moist in her eyes told the others just how much this 'story' was moving her. Nabiki, on the other hand, was outwardly completely controlled while she inwardly seethed. How could anyone allow such a man to harp on others about honour?

**  
**She herself might have a questionable honour because of what she did in the name of making money, and her honour was eclipsed from time to time by the need to help her family, but what that… man had done was indescribable. She'd have to dig up all that she could about Genma and his past. Considering Ranma's story up till now it should be easy to follow his trail. The fat fool probably hadn't bothered to cover it up at all.

**  
**The oldest Tendo daughter for her part tried to remain composed, at least on the outside. Inwardly she was in turmoil, as she could not understand how the best friend of their father could have done this to his only child. How could this man be the best friend of their father? She herself had practically raised her sisters ever since she had been nine years old, and she knew how one cared for a family. What Genma had done to Ranma could hardly be called an upbringing; it was more like sheer, constant abuse. Little did Kasumi know that it would get even worse.

**  
**For the next thing Ranma explained to the Tendo daughters was the Neko-ken. She explained it in full detail, and all Tendos including Nabiki had to suppress the urge to be violently sick.

**  
**Finally Akane looked at her new friend disbelieving. "Your own _father_ actually did this to you? And he claimed this to be some training in a martial arts technique?" she asked incredulous. "That sounds more like a torture manual for child abusers!" she exclaimed.

**  
**Now Kasumi could not hold back her tears any longer and her heart went out to the young woman sitting before them. What she had had to endure… no one should have to live through something like this, and she'd do her utmost to ensure that Ranma would get a loving and caring home now that she lived here.

**  
**From Ranma's tale she could tell that she'd never come to know much love from her father, if any at all, and Kasumi knew that she probably missed her mother very much. But what for a kind of mother was Ranma's mother? How could she have allowed that Ranma was taken from her at such an early age, an age, where every child needed the guidance and love of his or her mother?

**  
**The oldest Tendo daughter had seen how strong Ranma was, well, physically at least. But how emotionally vulnerable she was inside no one could estimate. She had obviously suffered a lot of damage from her father, both physically and mentally.

**  
**She was raised from her musings when she sensed the mood of her middle sister. This one she knew all too well. Nabiki was in a cold rage. "He really did that to you?" she asked, still somewhat disbelieving.

**  
**Ranma nodded and slid up her tank-top to show the faint scars that traced along her body. "Yes, he did. And I am extremely lucky that those cats did not eat away on any important bits. I could have ended up blind or worse, and that is something I shudder to imagine. No offence against blind people, I admire how they're able to master their everyday life and there was also a nearly blind Amazon in the village of the Joketsuzoku, but I dunno if I'd be able to live like that."

**  
**Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi nodded. "How can anyone do that to his own child? What for a kind of person is your father?" asked the youngest Tendo girl.

**  
**Ranma nodded. "I wish I knew. I think he's the most careless and unthinking human being; add to it his knack for stupidity and you have the recipe for disaster. He did this to me in the name of the Art, and all this to learn the 'ultimate technique'. Some technique if the user has to be insane to use it."

**  
**Kasumi arched a brow. "Insane?" she asked with dread.

**  
**The cursed martial artist sighed. She always felt embarrassed when talking about it, although it was not his fault. "In order to learn the Neko-ken the user has to snap. Only in this state the technique is usable."

**  
**All of the three Tendo girls had their mouths hanging open, and they all were thinking what for a complete and utter fool would think this torture manual to be an actual training manual. Apparently Genma Saotome.

**  
**Nabiki, who had always been the boldest of the three, had finally gathered enough courage to ask. "For the record, how old were you when your father subjected you to this supposed training?"

**  
**Ranma's eyes looked haunted. "I was six years old, Nabiki."

**  
**The middle Tendo daughter nodded. "I see." she said in a tone of voice that clearly stated that she'd understood that Ranma did not want any pity.

**  
**Akane on her part was seething and had already picked the panda for malleting practise, extended version; Kasumi was shedding more tears while thanking Kami-sama that Ranma had escaped the torture trip with her health and sanity intact.

**  
**Nabiki didn't have much in the way of motherly instincts and always hid her feelings quite well; she always covered her inward softness with her brash behaviour, but she really felt for Ranma. What the young woman had gone through was beyond worse. It was a nightmare! And she was really tempted to make the life of the 'best friend' of her father a nightmare, too. Scratch that, she _would_ make his life a living hell.

**  
**Meanwhile Ranma had nodded. "Yes. I was too young to understand what was going on. But after the first time I begged him not to throw me into the pit again. The cats were scratching me all over, and I could only protect my head. He yelled at me to stop acting like a weak, worthless girl and threw me into the pit again. He did that for over a month, until I finally snapped."

**  
**Kasumi, who was now not longer able to hold back her tears completely, stood up and urged Ranma to sit down with them on the bed. Shyly the young woman complied, and she was urged to sit down between Akane and Kasumi. Impulsively both Tendo sisters took each a hand of Ranma and showed her, that she was not alone in this.

**  
**Nabiki, not wanting to be left out of this, looked Ranma into the eyes. "Is there any more that we should know of, Ranma? I must know so that I can help you."

**  
**Ranma turned questioning eyes on Nabiki. "Why would you help me? You only know me for less than a day, yet you're all very friendly to me. Why?"

**  
**Akane squeezed her left hand she was currently holding, and Ranma looked at her. "I know now that you did not have many friends in your life, Ranma, but I, we, want to be your friends. I already am your friend and as your friend I will do everything so that your father can not do anything stupid to you any more."

**  
**Nabiki nodded. "Had I known of this I would have formulated the contract even harsher. Little sis is right, Ranma, we want to be your friends if you let us. No one should have to grow up the way you had to, Ranma, and I can understand that it will be hard for you to trust us after what you went through. But I want to be your friend, and I want to help you. You have helped me when you agreed to take up the modelling job, and you're one of the few who have not treated me as if I'm just some money grubber because of the actions I had to take."

**  
**While Kasumi nodded empathically Akane began to snicker, and Ranma looked at her once more. "You know, Ranma, if my big sis here says that she wants to help you without wanting any payment in return then she means it!"

**  
**Said big sis looked slightly insulted, but then she shrugged after a few moments for it was the truth. "Little sis is right, normally I would take payment for helping someone, but as your friend I'll do background research on your father to find out what for a mess he has created. And I'll find ways to divert these highly probable messes from you. Why? Because friends help each other, Ranma. And friends trust each other."

**  
**To say that Ranma was moved by this would have been an understatement. Finally it seemed as if she would be able to make real friends, friends who would not be scared away by her baka pops. The irony that it was something that had been caused by said baka pops, namely the Jusenkyo incident, was not lost on her.

**  
**With difficulty she repressed her tears and looked at each Tendo sister with a thankful expression. "Thank you, guys, you don't know what that means to me." she said with a cute smile.

**  
**Akane laughed and ruffled her hair, and soon Kasumi and even Nabiki joined in, which then led to a group-hug. In the end Ranma looked once more thankfully at the Tendo girls before she grew serious again. Her posture became more erect and the three sisters knew that the rest of the story would now come out.

**  
**Before she could do so, however, Kasumi, the motherly figure of the household butted in. "Ranma, where was your mother through all this? I can hardly believe that any mother would allow something like the training you described to happen to her child, especially her only child." she said worried.

**  
**With a sigh, the pigtailed youth said, "Mom was at home in Tokyo during the training, and I'm sure she had no idea what pops was pushing me through. And I have no idea if it plays a role any more as mom might already be dead. That's something that frustrates the hell outta me, I dunno if I still even have a mom or not, and if she'd want me or not!"

**  
**Akane looked puzzled at her friend. "Why should your mother not want you if she's still alive? I mean, look at you, you're a strong and beautiful woman! You know what you want and are probably one of the best fighters in the country!"

**  
**"Really?" asked Kasumi, before Ranma could answer, "She is that good?"

**  
**Both Nabiki and Akane nodded empathically. "Oh yes!" both said in unison, which made Ranma blush in embarrassment.

**  
**"Oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed, before her face acquired a thoughtful look. "I can guess why you're worried, Ranma-chan. If your mother is still alive she'd expect to have a son, but yet you have been turned into a girl. But don't worry, Ranma, any sane person would want to have you as their daughter in an instant. If she does not then she is not worthy of being your mother." she exclaimed with conviction.

**  
**Ranma looked thoughtful and introspective at this while Akane and Nabiki were quite surprised. Seldom had they heard their sister speak with so much force, and that meant that Ranma was really important to her, despite the fact that she had only been in this household for not more than a few hours.

**  
**Finally Ranma looked up again, and looked Kasumi in the eyes. "Thank you… Kasumi-oneechan." she said which made Kasumi smile. "I really do hope though that mother is still alive, and if she is, that she can accept me as I am. Would it be so bad that I'm now her daughter instead of her son?" the redhead mused to herself.

**  
**It was Nabiki who shook her head. "If your mother loves you or has ever loved you it should not matter what gender you are. What should matter the most to your mother is that you are alive, happy and healthy. And I admit, I have seldom seen a more alive and healthy young woman." she said with a smirk and a wink. "Though the happy part could need some work…" she added.

**  
**"NABIKI!" Kasumi exclaimed, "It was not proper to refer to Ranma-chans endowment." she stated.

**  
**Nabiki smirked. "Oh, did I now, oneechan? I only said that she was healthy. The rest is your personal interpretation, which I admit is quite interesting."

**  
**Now Kasumi blushed, while Akane wondered why the heck her big sis Nabiki was acting like a pervert. Boys were expected to act this way, but not Nabiki. Shaking her head she decided to bring this conversation back on track. "Anyway, my sisters are right, Ranma. If your mother is still alive and does not want you it will be her loss and it will show that she never loved you. Honestly, I ask myself how she could allow letting your 'father' leave with you onto this torture trip." she ranted.

**  
**Nabiki nodded. "Right, sis. Was there anything else that happened beside the cruelties and the curse you acquired, Ranma?" she asked in a curious but at the same time oddly (for her at least) caring tone of voice.

**  
**Ranma scowled. "Oh yes, there is. It has to do with the Neko-ken, but is of no real consequence any more thanks to this body. The Neko-ken training had the effect that it made me utterly afraid of cats. It was the worst case of Ailurophobia ever seen. When I remained in the presence of a cat for too long I'd enter the Neko-Ken; in essence I'd act like a big cat. But not any more. This is also a reason why I like this body so much. In this form I apparently have a different brain. Don't forget the alien part." she said with a grin as she waved her tail at them. "Apparently the alien brain of this body is different enough so that the Neko-ken does not affect me. Would I be in my birthform it would be an entirely different matter." she said with a shudder.

**  
**"What would be so dangerous about someone who acts like a cute kitty?" Akane asked.

**  
**Ranma grimaced in answer. "I dunno if a kitty with three feet long ki-claws which can cut through just about anything and would use them on everyone it perceives as a threat as cute." she said, and the three sisters gulped. "And do you have any idea how stupid it looked when I suddenly got a fit in my boy-form whenever I encountered a cat? It was such a relief when I encountered a cat in the Amazon village in this form without going into an anxiety fit. I was even able to pet the cat, but to be honest, I still don't like cats that much. But I made baka oyaji regret some of the training he did to me, especially the Neko-ken." she said with an evil grin.

**  
**Everyone nodded empathically. "Ranma, did your father really think that that was some kind of martial arts training? It sounds to me like a torture manual and its application would be highly punishable on several continents I could name, including Japan and China." said Nabiki.

**  
**Ranma snorted. "Training like that was baka oyajis' speciality. Call it School of Saotome Genma – advanced fool style. He did not think, he just did it, and usually to me. Whenever he got a new scroll he'd try it on me, regardless the warnings on it. After all, it was not his face his stupid stunts blew up inta. No, it was mine. And he pulled a lot of stupid stunts. One time he bound me to an airplane in the hopes that I'd learn how to fly. Once a fool, always a fool." she said flatly.

**  
**Everyone nodded in understanding, and Kasumi gave her a sad smile. "Ranma, I promise you that we will do everything in our powers to help you. We will help you undo the damage apparently thoughtless man has done to you. And aside from being your friend I'd like to be your big sister."

**  
**The light that shone in Ranma's black eyes was seemingly enough to light the room. With a happy smile she nodded. "I'd be honoured, Kasumi-oneechan." she said with a smile. "Thank you, all of you."

**  
**Ranma hugged Kasumi first, who smiled at the younger girl, then she hugged her 'fiancée' who also smiled at her, and finally she hugged Nabiki. "You're welcome, kiddo. I'd also like to be your big sis, if you don't mind." she said with a grin.

**  
**The pigtailed girl deepened the hug. "I'd like that, Nabiki-oneechan. Who'd have thought that? Before coming here I had no one, and now I have two big sisters and a cute 'fiancée'." she said giggling.

**  
**While still being hugged by Nabiki Akane ruffled the Saotome girls' hair because of the fiancée comment. "So I'm cute, huh? Well, you're not bad yourself." she said with a smirk.

**  
**Soon all four girls erupted into giggles and threw themselves backwards onto the bed. And for the first time in long Ranma felt content, for finally she did not only have friends but two big sisters and one sis of her age. It was everything that she could have asked for and if her other problems like a certain baka panda and what he had done to her in the past could be solved too she would be the luckiest person alive.

**  
to be continued**…

**  
Thanks to the ppl at Shinjis' board for helping me out with suggestions, ideas and comments. You rock! **

**  
Many thanks to those of you who were kind enough to leave reviews for the last chapter: **

**  
**shi izen fumeiyo, Lord Oberon, angel61991, Rejhan, ss4-link, sadfru, Dragonmaster-zynk, smith119, Vixen2, Laniac67, Jetsmillion, demongurl, Dumbledork, Elijah Snow, Jerry Unipeg, Rodaiogin, MysticSuperSaiyanGohan, TheCentauress, AshK, Lisa Grey, Vampwriter, Draform, Eternal Dark Chaos, RubberNeck, Innortal, Dragon Man 180, Macross VF1, borg rabbit, Jim Ohki, trunks and goten, Ranchan17, slade13, JohnnyG, The DCG, Wonderbee31

**  
Replies to those questions and comments that caught my eye:**

**  
I am worried about having challenges for Ranma; I know a fully evolved Saffron and Herb could do so but you are probably going to need to bring in enemies from DB, DBZ and DBGT.**

Don't worry, Ranma will have enough challenges on her way.

**  
Are you going to have Ranma use some of the same techniques as Goku and friends?**

Yep. But only after she encounters the Z-Gang. Which will happen some time around.

**  
What's up with the major Ranma ooc?**

I know it seems a bit much, but an explanation for Ranma's increase in intelligence will be given.

**  
You should have Ryoga be cursed as a male Saiyan instead of a female one.**

That's something I'm seriously considering.

**  
Why is Ranma's male form weaker than the female one?**

Because the male form remained one-hundred percent human. And as some people with great knowledge pointed out to me, its very unlikely that the curse magic should seep through to the birthform. Thus there'll be no chance for a male half-Saiyan or part-Saiyan here. Only a female SSJ…

**  
Ranma has a tail and the earth has a moon which has doubtless been full in the 6 months he spent in China so does he know about his monkey form or not?**

The moon has been destroyed by Piccolo in the dbz series to prevent any unfortunate… incidents. A placeholder was placed in its place. But more to that on a later note.

**  
On the subject of tails has he managed to overcome its sensitivity?**

Won't give away too much, but she has managed to toughen it up; however, as a basic Saiyan the tail is still a great weakness…

**  
You mentioned you were thinking of giving Ryoga the same curse if you do decide to take this route don't forget to edit the earlier comments about Ranma being the first to fall in that spring and its powers dispersing afterwards.**

Yeah. I was playing around with that thought and could have justified it with the guide being wrong about it; after all, even he is not all-knowing. But as one can guess from the comment above, this option has fallen out of favour…

**  
If you do decide to make others Saiyans please find some way to keep the others on par.**

I will.

**  
This is more of a technical thing and easily overruled by narrative authority but sexual attraction is more genetic than learned and Ranma's interest in another gender shouldn't change outside of his curse.**

It is easily overruled. But to get technical, I believe that having a girls body, e.g. brain, hormones and so on could easily sway preferences, if not change them completely.

**  
Saiyan/Human in his male form? That wouldn't be such a good idea if you want him to be happy with his girl-form.**

True. As said above, I've pretty much decided that the curse will not bleed over into the birthform. On that note, there was never evidence in canon that such a thing did ever happen any way.

**  
Does Ranma know all of the Chinese techniques he knew in the cannon?**

Wait and see…

**  
Is this gonna be a Ranma/Akane thing?**

Nope.

**  
I'm glad you like the thought of giving Ryoga the same curse cause he needs a break.**

That he needs for sure. But he won't end up p-chan here. As said above, I'm toying with the male Saiyan idea.

**  
Is Ranma already able to fly?**

Not yet; she hasn't seen anyone do it yet. So as long as Herb or one of the Z-Gang doesn't stop by the answer is no.

**  
Will he learn specific DB or DBZ moves like the Kamehameha?**

Yeah, she will.

**  
Will Pilaf make an appearance?**

I might put a cameo of him into the story; hmm, maybe Pilaf will end up as an omake, though…

**  
That does seem like a valid reason not to change into a guy, but somehow I feel this whole explaining session in the chapter two was way too rushed and felt like the author tried to get way too much context stuffed into the dialogues.**

That might indeed be the case; I wanted to cover a lot with this chapter, and admit that I could've split it in two easily. But for the sake of progress I didn't. If it felt too rushed I apologise.

**  
As for the possibility of having part of Ranma's female form's power getting transferred into his male form, I'm not sure if that would be such a good idea. As the way things are right now, it gives his character a sort of balanced feeling, a weakness if you will. All people have their weaknesses, and I think this would be perfect for him.**

I agree with this assessment; the birthform will indeed be a weakness in this story.

**  
I don't think that Nodoka should try and kill Ranma.**

A bit of foreshadowing, Ranma's reaction to the contract will be seen next chapter. And will she ever be pleased.

**  
I would really like to see Genma's reaction when and if Ranma-Saiyan-Chan brings home a guy that she fell in love with.**

True. He'd probably have a coronary.

**  
Your dialogue seems a bit stiff and formal. I have/had this problem before as well. What helped me was reading the dialogue out loud to see if it sounded like something someone would say naturally or not.**

Believe it or not, but I followed your advise for this chapter. Hope it worked.

**  
When you say Ranma has a long way to go before she goes Super, I think you should hold off on that at least until she fights Saffron. With a power level like his, you could compare him to Freeza.**

I like the suggestion. Verily.

**  
Why should Ranma's boy form be already significantly weaker than his female Saiyan one?**

True, the Amaguriken training did carry over, but don't forget that a Saiyan improves at a much faster rate than a human. And Ranma has stayed a girl for over six months now and has only trained as one. Thus not much training could carry over due to the difference in physiology between the forms.

**  
I can't wait to see the fathers humiliated more if they try to push the agreement.**

Punished they will be; I still have hope for Soun, but Genma is a lost case imo. #L#

**  
As for Nodoka, she should think of the fact that Ranma is willingly experiencing the monthly visitor, something no other man would be brave enough to do. Add in the power difference and temperature required to change Ranma, I think Nodoka will be pleased to get to know her daughter and make a panda skin rug.**

True. But Nodoka being Nodoka, who knows what she's going to do?

**  
When will Genma be used for Akane's mallet practice?**

How about starting right here?

**  
Sorry to burst you plot devices but there is one important thing to note about boiling water. It can't reach temperatures over 100 degrees Celsius under normal circumstances.**

True. But the important thing you missed is that this is 200 degrees F, meaning Fahrenheit. And that equals around 90 degrees Celsius (to be exact: 93, 34 ° F). I had a vivid discussion with Innortal to get this right, so I'm quite certain that it is correct. But thanks for trying to help.

**  
What about Ukyo and Xian? Will they make an appearance at all or are they just going to be background filler?**

They'll definitely play a role.

**  
I've never read/seen any dragon ball eps but I've read a lot of fanfiction crossovers and I think that both goku and Vegeta + maybe more people should be more powerful than Ranma, at least at first.**

Don't worry, Vegeta, Goku, Gohan and several others are more powerful. Thus it won't get boring.

**  
One small thing I found a bit odd was that Ranma was telling the Tendos about her earlier views of women. Since neither of them knew about them there was no reason to tell them.**

What with Genma around it was bound to get out how Ranma use to view women; after all, Genma still does view women this way.

**  
Mouse could show up trying to woo Ranma... after he could have been one of those she knocked senseless, and he seems to be into that sort of thing.**

You're definitely onto something there.

**  
One request: DON'T make her a Masaki, or a Shidou, or a were-creature or nothing like that. If you do something new to her bloodline.**

Don't worry, Nodoka Saotome will be as human as you can get. No improvements to her.

**  
I'm really going to be interested in the way Ranma handles the Horde and the attacks from Kuno.**

To give a little preview, Ranma's initial meeting with Kuno won't go well, and she will go to lengths to stop him. This will include every trick in the book (just not seduction and such, of course; after all, Ranma-chan would sooner die than even pretend to seduce Kuno).

**  
How does the neko-ken fit in?**

Hope the chapter explained it sufficiently. In essence, the alien structure of the Saiyan brain rendered the neko-ken harmless.

**  
Just thought I'd let you know that Saiyajin females don't have tails.**

I know; however, I'll offer an explanation why Ranma has a tail in contrast to the females shown in the series in a later chapter. This was no mistake.


	4. Unexpected Troves

**Title**: Saiyajinnyannichuan – Spring of drowned female Saiyan  
**Author name**: Trugeta

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ as well as Akira Toriyama and Funimation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Note further that I don't own any of the other trademarks mentioned in this story.

This story takes place at the beginning of the Ranma ½ series and several years after the Cell Games Saga. It's an AU, and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

**  
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────**

**  
Chapter 4: Unexpected Troves**

**  
**The four girls were still seated on the bed and in the process of bonding. They were happily eating popcorn and drinking soda while they brought Ranma up to date on what girls were wearing and so on. Which brought Kasumi, who had not heard the reason why Ranma wanted to stay a girl as of yet, to think about Ranma's unique situation.

**  
**That they had accepted Ranma not only as their friend but sister would surely help Ranma in getting comfortable in their household, but they, and especially she would have to find a way to make Ranma get comfortable with life in general.

**  
**It was obvious that she had spent too much time around her father, which was, as they knew now the completely wrong person to grow up around. Before Elder Cologne there had apparently been no one else who had taught to Ranma that there were other, equally important things in life aside from the Art. The pigtailed girl had obviously learned a lot from the Amazons, but there were still a lot of things that they'd have to teach her.

**  
**She as her now oldest sister would ensure that Ranma knew all that was important in life, and she was sure that her little sisters would add their own unique points of view to further the education of the Saotome girl. Silently Kasumi suspected that there were also other, deeper reasons why Ranma rather wanted to stay a girl, but if she was more comfortable with her new body who was she to demand anything from her?

**  
**But first and foremost important was the happiness of her sisters, and she included Ranma in this. Should the fathers have any problems with this she'd have to subtly counteract it. After all, it could not be allowed that someone who had suffered as much as Ranma had was forced into something she did not want.

**  
**Inwardly she was also very relieved that Akane and Ranma were getting along so well, for this situation could also have developed vastly different. But it had not, and that was all that counted. It was also a good thing that Ranma had experienced her period before, for had she not it could have become… embarrassing.

**  
**However, as a big sis she was worried about her little sister, and she had to test her knowledge. "Ranma, how thorough was the talk the Elder gave you? Did she tell you about what happens when boys and girls do… you know, stuff?"

**  
**Ranma blushed. "Don't worry, oneechan. Elder Cologne taught me everything. She may be the Head Elder of an Amazon tribe, but they know everything about the nasty bit. I now know everything about it, and I admit that I went quite green throughout the 'talk'." Here Akane nodded. She could perfectly relate. "The only difference between the Amazons and us is that they use herbs and fungi for contraception instead of the… condoms, I believe she called them."

**  
**Kasumi nodded relieved. That was good news. "I'm glad that you know, imotouchan. What you don't know can hurt you, and I don't want my new little sis to end up pregnant."

**  
**Ranma nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, Kasumi-oneechan, I have no intention to. I want to come to terms with my life, my powers and with what stupid pops did to me. There's no need to complicate my life any further, especially if I don't know if I like boys at all. At the moment I share Akane's view. From my experiences I made in China they're all perverts, that's also why I was wearing the cloak. Not that I want to boast or anything but I was really growing tired of all those stupid boys hitting on me."

**  
**Akane growled. "Boys! They're the same everywhere!" she spat in disgust.

**  
**The redhead sighed. "Those that I met on my travels most surely were. But you can't lump every boy together, Akane. I'm pretty sure that I was not like that when I was a boy." she said, and that prompted Akane to think.

**  
**Finally the youngest Tendo sister nodded. "You may be onto something there, Ranma. But sadly you were most probably the exception to the rule. Wait until you see the boys at my school." she said with a dejected sigh.

**  
**The Saotome girl sighed. "Most boys do indeed seem to think exclusively with their little heads. And the boys in China were especially bad. Elder Cologne had taught me to speak and understand Mandarin and thus I could understand all of their perverted comments. Usually they laid off when I got angry, but occasionally I had to break a few digits. When it grew too bothersome I bought the cloak. Better to be looked at strangely than to be constantly bothered by perverted boys."

**  
**Akane nodded empathically. "I can so relate, Ranma. And I admit that I am really glad that you turned out to be a nice girl instead of a perverted boy. I really have to deal with enough of them at school."

**  
**The red-haired girl grinned and cracked her knuckles. "Not for long any more, Akane, not for long. After all, I can't let my fiancée be attacked by a horde of stupid boys now, can I? What for a fiancée would I be to allow such slights to your honour?" she asked impishly.

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl grinned in anticipation of what was to come next Monday. That should really be fun. "Oh, my strong fiancé, you're so good to me." she exclaimed theatrically. "But remember not to call me your fiancée at school. No reason to make the other students at school think that we're really lesbians. There're enough rumours at school already that hint at that because I always claim that I hate boys as it is."

**  
**Ranma nodded. "Understood, Akane. I'd never want to make my sis look bad." she said with a smile that was returned by Akane.

**  
**Nabiki, who had remained silent while she had munched her popcorn looked up. "But you'll have to turn it up a notch while you're in the house. Let the old farts see you holding hands, or even kiss each other on the cheek. We have to present the old men a reason why Ranma wants to stay a girl, and they have to buy it. Thus the act must be convincing." she stated.

**  
**The two youngest girls looked at each other, gulped once and nodded. Holding hands and kissing on the cheek shouldn't be a problem. But to act convincingly might be. "Good that it's only in the house." Akane finally said. "And don't worry, Ranma, only act as you look, cute and like a girl." she said with a smile.

**  
**Ranma titled her head and smiled cutely while batting her eyelashes. Akane blinked in surprise as the other girl managed to pull off a very convincing seductive act. "Like that, Akane?" the pigtailed girl asked teasingly.

**  
**"Err, yes." was the reply of one slightly put off Akane.

**  
**Nabiki and Kasumi smiled at the reaction of their younger sister, she was always too easy to embarrass; but the middle Tendo daughter grew solemn as she had to broach another, more serious topic. "Ranma, what can you tell us about your father aside from that he's the most thoughtless human being who would sell his own mother in a heartbeat if he'd get a free meal out of it?" she asked, and ignored the interjected "Nabiki!" by Kasumi. "I have to know if he could be any danger to this family, and that includes you, too."

**  
**Ranma grimaced. "I think he could be. Pops is lazy, greedy and manipulative; and he will sure as hell make a considerable dent in your finances. I really have no idea if he has any other plans beside this agreement or what he wants to achieve with it aside from that stupid 'joining of the school', but I have my clues. I have suspected ever since I could count that the way he raised me in was very unusual. Before Jusenkyo I only suspected it, but after I lived with the Amazons and learned from them I knew it. He had wanted to make me dependent on him so that he could use me as the ticket to his early retirement. We'll really have to watch him or he might do something stupid, Nabiki-oneechan. Intentionally or unintentionally."

**  
**Said middle Tendo daughter nodded. "I figured as much, Ranma-imoutochan. We all will have to keep an eye on him. And we'll start about now."

**  
**"Huh? What do you mean, Ranma?" asked Akane.

**  
**Nabiki smirked. "Well, we should look and see if the two old men are still well-served on sake or if they've already taken their trip to alcohol-induced sleep. If the latter is true then we could check the things of your father, Ranma. Maybe we can find some evidence on what he has planned."

**  
**"Would that be proper, Nabiki? Mr. Saotome is an honoured guest of the house." Kasumi interjected.

**  
**Nabiki just snorted. Him, an honoured guest? More like a dishonourable freeloader. No, she did not like the man at all; not before Ranma's story and most certainly not afterwards. It was good that Ranma was so different from him. "Sis, do you remember what Genma has done to Ranma throughout the course of the last ten years?"

**  
**A nod from Kasumi. "Now, do you still think that he is an 'honoured' guest? From my point of view he is nothing but a freeloader, and gauging from how much he ate a bottomless pit of a freeloader to boot. Ranma is at least willing to help us find a solution for the financial problems we'll be facing, but I doubt that Mr. Saotome would be willing to raise a single finger to help us."

**  
**Ranma nodded empathically. "Pops is as lazy as you can get. He never had a job in his life, nor is he an accredited sensei. In fact, I learned most of the techniques I know from masters we met on the trip. The only way of making money pops would have would be to teach in this dojo with your dad. But as you said that he didn't teach in over five years that is more than doubtful. In fact, the curse brought out his real self, for he is nothing but a fat, lazy panda." she said with conviction.

**  
**Nabiki looked at her older sister. "See? Even Ranma, his own daughter, thinks that he is a good for nothing. Here is my plan to make him sweat: first of all, none of the fathers are to know of the fact that Ranma will be modelling. They shall buy into me bringing the money in through my usual activities. Second: we must make Genma take up a job so that he's out of the way for most of the time. In order to do so we must pretend that the family finances are so devastated that there would be no other alternative other than Kasumi taking up a job seeing as she is the only one of us old enough to be legally allowed to. And the only jobs that would bring in enough money to help our oh so devastated finances would be the dishonourable jobs. Table dancing, prostitution, the works." she explained.

**  
**Kasumi nodded slowly. What Nabiki said had rung true. From her own observations of Genma she had the distinct impression herself that he was a man who exploited others, and Ranma had confirmed it. "I understand. And I see your point as well, little sis. It really seems as if the honour of Mr. Saotome is questionable, and I will do my part. I also agree with you, Nabiki-imoutochan, it would be good if we got Mr. Saotome out of the house as much as possible; at the very least we should find a way to busy him so much that he can't endanger the family, and that might be best achieved through him teaching. Yes, I agree."

**  
**The other three girls nodded with a smile. Operation make the panda suffer could begin.

**  
**-.-

**  
**Two hours later the four girls had schemed enough and deemed that the time was right to check on their fathers. As Kasumi was the most inconspicuous of the four girls she volunteered to check if the fathers had finally consumed enough sake to have them sufficiently prepared for the talk. However, when Kasumi came back she reported that the fathers had managed to knock themselves out.

**  
**That made modifications to the plan necessary, and when Nabiki suggested checking Genma's belongings for clues on his plans, the other three girls just grinned at her, exited Akane's room and went downstairs. Ranma 'confiscated' her fathers pack while Nabiki had the idea to search her father's room. The girls knew how their father reacted when he had had too much sake, and upon Ranma's question they told her that they were positive that he'd be out for quite some time should not someone offer more sake.

**  
**While the three Tendo sisters were conducting the search of their fathers room Ranma was doing the same in the guest room. The first item she checked was the travel-worn backpack she had confiscated. Nothing useful came out of that however, aside from his wallet; and that was unsurprisingly utterly empty.

**  
**The backpack was apparently a dead end. However, in examining it more closely she detected traces of something she had last encountered in the Amazon village. It were traces of ki, and this ki had been used in a similar way to how Elder Cologne had been able to do. The Elder had been able to store a seemingly endless supply of items in something called 'stuffspace', something Ranma had thought belonged into the world of Anime.

**  
**After Ranma had seen what could be done with the stuffspace she had been most eager to learn, but the Elder had said nay. This technique was a very closely guarded secret, and even she as an ally of the tribe would only be allowed to learn it after she had proven that she could be trusted, for a timespan of five years. The potential of misuse of this particular technique was just too great.

**  
**Furrowing her brows Ranma wondered if her father, whom she had thought a stupid oaf was able to pull of something like that; after a thorough examination of the pack she had to conclude that he was indeed. The backpack had apparently been used as storage for a much greater amount of cargo than it was designed to; she could still see the feint traces of her fathers' ki, though.

**  
**Damn, her father could really create and access stuffspace! She'd be damned. Had the old fart really been holding out on her that much? What other techniques had the sly bastard kept quiet? She'd always suspected that he hadn't taught her everything he knew, but this here was impressive and undeniable proof.

**  
**"Ranma? Found anything yet?" came Akane's voice from the door.

**  
**"Not yet, Akane. But I might be onto something here." the redhead muttered, still studying the backpack and the feint traces of ki with her whole concentration.

**  
**The other girl surveyed Ranma, saw that she was apparently occupied and sat down on the floor beside her. She herself didn't have much to do seeing as Nabiki and Kasumi were searching their fathers' room; she'd only have been in the way of someone who knew the house like the back of her hand and someone who could spot hiding places from a mile away.

**  
**Thus the youngest Tendo girl watched Ranma doing whatever it was that she was doing, trying to guess what it was. At the moment it looked as if the other girl was just looking at a backpack, but knowing Ranma she suspected that it was much more. Finally her patience ran out, and she had to know. "What are you doing there, Ranma?"

**  
**Said Ranma looked up and grinned. "Finding hidden treasures. I wouldn't have believed it, but my apparently not so stupid pops is able to access and create something called stuffspace."

**  
**"Huh? Isn't that where the Sailor Senshi from Sailor Moon pull their Henshin rods from?" asked a bewildered Akane.

**  
**"Yeah. Same working principle here. And I've just understood how to open it. At least I think so." said the redhead. "And that's thanks to you, Akane." she grinned as she pushed into the stuffspace that resided within the backpack.

**  
**"Thanks to me? How so?"

**  
**Ranma felt around in the stuffspace, only to find it empty. "Meh, too bad. But it works. Hadn't you pulled your mallet-attack I wouldn't have seen how you modulate your aura to access stuffspace. I put what I saw you do with your mallet and what I encountered here together, et voila. Yes," she said at seeing Akanes' bewildered look, "you access a variant of stuffspace to pull your mallet from, and seeing it was enough for me to learn how to access this stuffspace pocket of my father. Why do you think your mallet disappears after its job is done?"

**  
**Akane put a hand to her chin. "To be honest, I'd never thought about it. It was just always there when I needed it."

**  
**Ranma grinned. "And it always will be. Now to see if we can discover what my pops did here. I know that he hid something in a stuffspace he created within this pack, but now it is empty. That does mean that he has to have hidden whatever he had stored herein somewhere, most probably this room. But where would he hide it? Where would _I_ hide it?"

**  
**"Can't be under the bed." said a snickering Akane. "He's much too fat."

**  
**The redhead giggled. "True. Hmm, it must be somewhere from where he can retrieve it easily; I'm sure he wants constant access to it. The crux is that the actual outside stuffspace can be very small, seeing as the inside is virtually infinite. Elder Cologne tried to explain the principles to me, but I never really understood them. Might have been cause she left out a lot, seeing as she wanted to keep it a secret." she muttered.

**  
**"The Amazons can do that technique too? Cool! I bet you learned it from them, considering how fast you grasp things! Can you teach me?" she asked excitedly.

**  
**Ranma sighed. "Sorry, Akane. That's one technique I was not able to grasp. Before they'd teach me I have to prove myself worthy over a timespan of five years. If I've passed the test of the 'honourable ally' I will be taught. And only then."

**  
**Akane looked disappointed. "Too bad. But maybe you can find out how it works on your own, Ranma." she said with a smile.

**  
**"I hope so. And thanks to you that might indeed work." Ranma answered with a smile. "Let me think… pops thinks that his stuffspace is undetectable, and according to the Elder he would be right; only people with ki-sight have a chance to find a stuffspace of someone else, and you have to be of blood-relation. Hadn't I fallen into that spring and received training in ki-sight he would be safe. But not any more." she said and got to her feet.

**  
**Unerringly Ranma checked the most probable hiding spots in the room, and a smirk crept on her face when she came to stop in front of the window; there, on the right side beside the window feint ki-traces were running over the wall.

**  
**They were barely visible to her and Ranma had to strain her ki-sight to perceive them, but their existence was undeniable. "Gotcha, baka pops." she said with a chuckle.

**  
**"Where is it, Ranma?" asked a curious youngest Tendo girl.

**  
**"Let me test a theory, Akane. Can you see anything at this point on the wall?"

**  
**Akane looked intently at the spot Ranma had pointed at, but after a full minute she shook her head. "No, nothing. If there is anything there, I can't see it."

**  
**Ranma nodded to herself. "I figured as much. That means that the Elder told me the truth. Only those of blood-relation can find anothers' stuffspace. Must be cause of the blood's influence on the ki of a person. Well, let's have a look at the contents, shall we?"

**  
**Smirking to herself she pushed into the secluded space, and after only brief resistance to her push she was able to reach inside.

**  
**With eyes that were gleaming like those of a treasure seeker who had found something really valuable she felt around and managed to grab something that felt like… scrolls! Grinning to herself she pulled them out very carefully, so as not to damage them. Once she held them in her hands she placed the scrolls onto the bed beside her and sat down. It really seemed as if she'd found a hidden trove. Now to see what exactly her father had intended to hide from her…

**  
**-.-

**  
**Akane looked awed. "Whoa, Ranma, what have you got there? Looks like old scrolls to me."

**  
**Ranma nodded. "Yes, and some of them are _very_ old! If I'm not mistaken this is what pops should have taught me on this trip; the complete scrolls of the Saotome school of the Anything Goes... one sec, Akane…" she said, browsing through the scrolls. "Those are _not_ Anything Goes scrolls!" the redhead exclaimed in surprise.

**  
**"What?" asked an equally surprised Akane as she sat down beside Ranma. "Those are no Anything Goes scrolls? What are they then, Ranma?"

**  
**The redhead looked into Akane's eyes. "Those scrolls," she showed Akane a set of about ten scrolls, "contain all the basic moves he taught me, and they _are_ of the Anything Goes style. But those," she said and showed Akane another set of scrolls, "contain techniques I've never seen before. Very potent techniques, and they seem to belong to a very deadly Ninjitsu Style. And they are part of the Saotome school, not of the Saotome school of the Anything Goes. These scrolls are _really_ old, and I'd give a lot to find out who invented these techniques. Can't have been the panda, that much is for sure. Just look at that technique here!" she exclaimed, and showed the scroll she had been examining to Akane.

**  
**"'Demon God Assault Bomb?' What in the name of Kami-sama is that for an attack?" she exclaimed, unsettled.

**  
**"A very destructive and deadly attack, Akane. And proof that my father can't have been the one to invent it. For one, the scroll is much too old, and for another, the techniques of the Saotome school seem to be part of an assassins' style! All I know of pops is that he's a thief, and what would a thief need such deadly techniques for? The various variations of the Yama-sen-ken are deadly enough to kill someone a dozen times!" Ranma exclaimed.

**  
**Akane nodded as she sifted through the scrolls herself. Those techniques were simply… ingenious, and very, very deadly! Ranma was right, no way could her oaf of a father have been the originator. For one, the scrolls were really much too old, and secondly, Genma did not seem to be clever enough to invent such congenial moves.

**  
**But if he knew only a fraction of them it'd make him very dangerous. "I agree, Ranma. And he never taught you the barest hint of these techniques? I mean, nearly everyone would die to learn them!" she exclaimed with ardour.

**  
**Ranma shook her head. "He never showed or mentioned techniques like these. I knew the bastard was holding out on me, but that… ho boy, I'm so going to kick his ass in the spars to come. And I will do it using none of the techniques on these scrolls too. We'll keep it a secret that we know them." she said, and sifted further through the scrolls.

**  
**Suddenly her head shot up from gazing at an ancient looking scroll, and her face showed a look of intense triumph. With gleaming eyes she showed a scroll to Akane. "Damn, would you look at that! This is what I've been longing to learn ever since I saw it in China! This is how the stuffspace technique works! And it seems that one of my ancestors invented it! Damn, now I understand…" she muttered, as she got her final clues.

**  
**With glee Ranma made several complicated looking gestures on the wall in front of her, some inches away from her father's stuffspace; with a whoop of joy the redhead added the finishing touches, and instantly stored a scroll in her newly created stuffspace. "Ta ta!" the Saotome girl exclaimed with a big grin, before retrieving the scroll and collapsing the stuffspace in and on itself so as not to leave any traces.

**  
**"Cool!" exclaimed Akane, "Now you can teach me too! And once we've learned the scrolls we'll show the bastard that girls can seriously kick ass!"

**  
**The Saotome girl grinned. "True. But first I'll teach all of you the basics before we'll be able to move on to the techniques of the Saotome school. I know it's disappointing, but you three need to know the basics first. You can't crawl before you walk."

**  
**Akane giggled. "It's the other way around, Ranma. 'You can't walk before you crawl.'" she said, and the Saotome girl exclaimed a soft 'D'oh!". "Though I suppose you're right; we need to know the basics before we're able to learn the advanced stuff. But knowing that we'll be able to learn such grand techniques is more than enough motivation!"

**  
**Ranma smiled. "Right you are. But we four must vow that we won't use the hard styles of the Saotome school outside of a real emergency. They're much too deadly."

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl thought carefully about Ranma's words, and slowly her euphoria was replaced by a feeling of caution as she realised that her new sister was right. "True, Ranma. But once we got them down we'll have several aces up our sleeves which we can resort to should we ever get into tight situations."

**  
**The pigtailed girls' smile deepened. "Good that you understand, Akane. Only after we've mastered all the scrolls are we going to use any of these techniques. Outside emergencies, of course. And I sure as hell will teach you three the stuffspace as soon as possible. That technique is so damn useful!" she exclaimed.

**  
**Akane nodded. "That makes sense, sensei. I'd be honoured if you'd teach me these techniques."

**  
**Ranma smiled. "Of course I will, Akane; to you and my other sisters. And I'm entitled to do so. These scrolls are mine now, even if I plan to return the originals to baka oyaji. The best theft is the one that isn't noticed, that's what oyaji always preached, and now I'll beat him at his own game. After all the times pops sold and engaged me its high time that the idiot looses something of worth to him. Even if he doesn't know and won't until we use these techniques on him." she finished, and her smile changed into a smirk.

**  
**Then she reached into stuffspace again and pulled out more scrolls; she smiled to herself, for each time she used the stuffspace it was getting easier. She just wanted to sift through the scrolls she had retrieved when Kasumi and Nabiki entered the room with empty hands. "I see at least you were successful, Red." Nabiki said with a smirk.

**  
**"Red?" Ranma asked. "Hmm, you could say so, 'biki." she countered with a smirk.

**  
**Nabiki returned the smirk. "Touché, Ranma-oneechan. Now let's see what we got us here…" she said as she sat down beside Ranma.

**  
**Akane and Kasumi sat down too, and Nabiki began sifting through the trove Ranma had made. "Scroll… scroll… hmm, a lot of scrolls… where did you find those, Ranma?" she asked as she laid the scrolls she'd already checked onto a pile.

**  
**"In the wall, literally." Ranma answered. "The sly bastard has created a stuffspace, and he hid these scrolls in a stuffspace in the wall. You know, he used his ki and created something like a ki-pocket that could only be opened by him or by someone with bloodrelation to him. I was barely able to see it and it's only thanks to Akane's mallet technique that I saw it at all."

**  
**Said girl grinned. "Who'd have thought that my pervert smasher had other uses besides smashing perverts, eh?"

**  
**The other girls grinned. "We should sort the scrolls. And then we should copy them using my scanner, if I may suggest that." Nabiki said.

**  
**Ranma smiled. "I like the suggestion. And I wanted to sort the scrolls anyway, Nabiki-oneechan. We gotta sort them depending on the degree of difficulty. Maybe we can even find a pattern of scrolls that build upon each other. But first I gotta sort the basic scrolls. You three can go over the advanced scrolls and try to find out which of them are especially useful. Kay?"

**  
**The Tendo sisters nodded and went to work. Two piles were created and Akane and Ranma busied themselves with a pile each. Akane was sifting through the advanced Saotome school scrolls, she being the one Tendo sister with the most martial arts knowledge, while Ranma sorted the basic ones.

**  
**Her sisters, having nothing to do, were looking through the scrolls which Akane had already sorted, and more than once Nabiki or Kasumi whistled upon seeing the techniques they contained. Meanwhile Ranma used her superior speed to organise the basic Saotome scrolls, and soon she lend Akane a helping hand.

**  
**Soon the piles grew, as did the wonderment of the girls. Apparently this was the true legacy of the Saotome school, and not that of the Musabetsu Kakuto, and especially Ranma's eyes shone as she saw techniques that literally made her mouth water.

**  
**The basic scrolls of the Saotome school of the Anything Goes were really uninteresting in comparison to the scrolls of the true Saotome school, and most of these scrolls contained material that was _highly_ interesting. And the old man had hidden it from her. He had screwed her over as usual, and once she'd learned these techniques she'd fry his furry butt that much harder.

**  
**Suddenly the girls looked up as Nabiki took in a sharp breath. "What is it, Nabiki?" asked Akane and beat the others to the question.

**  
**A somewhat pale-faced Nabiki looked straight at Ranma. "Red, I think I just found a very good reason why you should not seek any contact to your mother, even if I should find out that she's alive." she said and handed a scroll to a surprised Ranma.

**  
**The redhead had of course seen her new sister pale. Whatever the scroll in question contained, it could not be good.

**  
**-.-

**  
**Akane and Kasumi looked confused, while a curious Ranma accepted the scroll from Nabiki. "Sis, why should Ranma not try to meet her mother?" asked Akane.

**  
**"WHAT!" was suddenly and loudly exclaimed, and a steaming red-head jumped to her feet. "That bastard! That lousy freakin' bastard! How _could_ he?" she yelled.

**  
**This display continued for a minute or so until Ranma visibly calmed, and the three other girls had the sudden impression as if they were sitting in a deep freeze. A few moments later this feeling passed and they only had the feeling to sit in a fridge.

**  
**Ranma sat down on the bed and that quite heavily. "Sorry guys," she said with an apologetic look, "but what this damned baka bastich has done is indescribable! How can one be such an idiot?"

**  
**"Ranma," Akane said as she laid a hand on the red-heads shoulder, "what is it? What has your father done this time?"

**  
**The pigtailed girl glowered for a moment as her control slipped, then she took a calming breath and handed Akane the offending scroll without another word.

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl took the scroll and began to read loudly

"_Hereby do I, Genma Saotome, promise to my wife Nodoka Saotome to make our son Ranma the best martial artist of his generation and a man among men._

_Should I fail, the punishment will consist of seppuku for both Ranma and me._

_Signed,_

_Genma Saotome plus handprint._"

**  
**"Akane, could you please repeat this? I think I heard you wrong." Kasumi said, shaking her head and cleaning her ears. Had she really heard right?

**  
**Both Akane and Ranma looked at her, one with an angry expression and one with a barely controlled one. "You didn't hear wrong, Kasumi. That's what it says. Here, read for yourself." Akane said and handed the scroll to her oldest sister.

**  
**Kasumi took it and read it with an increasingly disbelieving expression. When she was finished she looked up. "Who would do something like that to her own child? How can someone be so heartless?" she asked.

**  
**Now it was Nabiki's turn to participate in the talk once more. She had had some time to think, and the conclusions she had drawn were not to her liking. "Who? Obviously someone with a very outdated view on how children should be raised. I have to look into that man among men crap to see what it means, but one thing should be clear: with that contract hanging over your head you can not go to your mother, even if I should find her. It would be much too dangerous, for you have no idea how she would react. If she is alive she has not seen you for over ten years, and who can say if she'd be happy to see you alive but as a girl? A mother should love unconditionally, but gauging from what data I have I can not say that your mother would. And what would you do if she should decide to hold you to the contract because you are a girl, Ranma? What would you do?"

**  
**Ranma growled lowly and got to her feet; then the pigtailed girl began to pace. Finally, she let her growing temper out. "Do you want an honest answer?" she asked with a growl.

**  
**The other girls gulped but nodded all the same. "Yes."

**  
**With another growl Ranma gave her answer. "If Fate should decide to unite me with my mother, and she really wants to hold me to that sick joke of a contract, then she can go to where the pepper grows! Honestly, to demand of someone to kill themselves, only because they don't match the wording of some idiotic contract about some manliness bullcrap, how stupid! Does she really think I'd throw my life away at her order just because I'm now a girl instead of a boy or what? Then she has another one coming! Man among men, what an utter shit!"

**  
**"Ranma… please calm down. Your aura…" began Akane.

**  
**Ranma didn't seem to hear her. "It's a martial artists' damn duty to protect the weak! How the hell am I to protect the weak if I'd have to kill myself because of some utterly ridiculous piece of trashy paper I don't even remember signing? No fucking way!"

**  
**"Err, Ranma…" Akane began, but Ranma rambled on without hearing her.

**  
**"Ranma, lunch is ready!" said Kasumi, following a sudden intuition.

**  
**That got Ranma's attention. "Food? Where?"

**  
**The three Tendo sisters laughed, and a certain pigtailed girl looked confused. "Huh? What's going on here?"

**  
**"You were starting to set fire to the room, Red." said Nabiki. "No need to make good on your nick."

**  
**The redhead looked surprised at first, then sheepish. "Oops." she said and scratched the back of her head. "Couldn't really help it. That made me so… so…"

**  
**"Angry?" suggested Akane.

**  
**"Furious." corrected Ranma with a growl.

**  
**Akane nodded and growled too. "And rightfully too. How can anyone accept a contract that has been signed by a five year old? And with a fingerprint to boot! Really, how dishonourable can one get?" she asked.

**  
**The other three girls nodded. "If we'd show this to court, what do you think how long would it take to declare both parents as unfit? This is ridiculous and a farce!" Nabiki exclaimed. "Honestly, who the heck uses seppuku pledges nowadays any more? Haven't your parents heard that they're as dead as a pet rock for at least a hundred years?"

**  
**Ranma sighed. "I dunno, Nabiki. I know nothing about mom and pops is the worst baka I've ever met. If mom is anything like him…" she trailed off with a shudder. "Anyway, I haven't seen her in ten years, and as far as I'm concerned she gave up any right to decide over my fate when she gave me to pops. No way am I going to kill myself cause she says so." she finished angrily.

**  
**Kasumi looked angry too, and that was a state of mind that was quite alien to her. "What a fine best friend our father has there, hasn't he?" she said sarcastically. "No offence against you, but your father is indeed a bastard. And I will enjoy doing my part so that he can not harm any of us. That includes you too, Ranma-oneechan."

**  
**The Saotome girl smiled at her 'big sister'. "Thanks, Kasumi-imotouchan. I'll enjoy it too, you can count on it. And once I get that mallet-technique working he'll regret the day he fooled around with me!"

**  
**A chorus of "Hear, Hear's" could be heard and four girls schemed how they would make the life of a certain part-time panda a living hell. For some strange reason a shiver ran down the spine of a certain drunken Genma Saotome, and in his alcohol-induced sleep he dreamed of weapon-wielding red-haired women…

**  
**-.-

**  
**Half an hour later the four girls had put everything aside from the scrolls back in place and had gone to Nabiki's room after checking on the fathers once more to make some more plans. It was fast decided that all three Tendo girls would take up training under Ranma as soon as possible, and that they would take the scrolls of the Anything Goes school as a working base, before moving on to the techniques of the true Saotome school.

**  
**Even Nabiki would have the time after she would have managed to use her contacts for Ranma's model-career, and her tail didn't pose to big a problem; after all, modern Japanese culture was always quite accepting of the bizarre.

**  
**Nabiki's ulterior motive was, that learning the moves that were described on the scrolls would be real fun; especially the Umi-sen-ken was much to her liking and would be a great asset for her information-gathering activities. And the other techniques that were described on the scrolls were a far cry from the moves they had learned as children, before their mother had died. And after that, father had never taught them anything again.

**  
**Thus all three Tendo daughters aside from Akane, who was largely self-taught, only knew the basic moves. Ranma, who had sorted through the schools scrolls together with Akane, had made some kind of training schedule. Ranma would start to instruct them beginning with the most basic moves, while she herself learned the scrolls she had not learned due to the fact that they had been hidden by Genma.

**  
**Although the first technique that Ranma would teach the other girls would be the soul of ice. Akane needed the technique badly in order to learn how to control her temper, and with the additional meditation techniques Ranma was sure that she'd manage. The girl had potential, but so had all three Tendo sisters. Potential, that had been wasted until now.

**  
**After they were finished planning how the training would commence Ranma asked Nabiki if it were possible to make accurate copies of the scrolls she had found by using the scanner she had mentioned as of now. The middle Tendo sister had just smirked and said "Follow me.", and the girls had then gone to Nabiki's room.

**  
**Five minutes later Ranma had been astonished witness how Nabiki worked the computer like a pro; Akane and Kasumi were smiling at their new sisters' surprise, for to them seeing their middle sisters' skills in action was nothing new. And making full use of the fact that the fathers were out of it Nabiki managed to scan all of the scrolls Ranma had found before 8 p.m.

**  
**Once finished, a smirking Nabiki turned to the other girls. "I've completed scanning the scrolls, and you can place them back into that stuffspace-pocket whenever you want to, Ranma. The scans are stored as well on the HDD as on this thumbdrive, and both are password-protected with a 256bit encryption; in addition to that, I know a shop that will be able to create printouts from these scrolls, and they owe me a favour. Methinks a trip to the city is called for next week, or what do you think, girls?"

**  
**Three smirks were her answer. "I think that is a great idea, Nabiki-oneechan. Once we got those techniques down we can finally show the panda what 'weak girls' can do." said Ranma with gleaming eyes and a distinctively evil grin.

**  
**"Hear, hear."

**  
**-.-

**  
**Ranma was very satisfied that she had the stuffspace-technique down, and that she had understood its working principles should also mean that she should be able to access the same 'malletspace' Akane pulled her mallets from. But to get this particular technique down she'd have to see it in action one more time. To this end, as much as she hated it, she had to make her friend and new sister angry.

**  
**To this end she motioned Kasumi and Nabiki to another corner of the room and pretended that she'd something to clear up with the two. "Big sisters, I need your help to make Akane angry." she said, and at their curious but disapproving looks she elaborated. "I've seen that Akane can only use her mallet when she is angry, and when she is in that state she can somehow access what I call 'malletspace'. It seems to be an extent of stuffspace, but even with my newfound knowledge about stuffspace I can't open it. What I saw from the first time Akane used her mallet was enough so that I could see the ki-lines of pops stuffspace, but if I could see the mallet-attack one more time I'm sure that I could pull it off too. I must see how her aura changes when she accesses 'malletspace'. And to this end she must be angry."

**  
**Both sisters looked at each other and understood. Ranma's reason were justified, and not based on some immature prank, and Nabiki nodded with a smirk. "How about the four of us go into the garden? It's a tepid evening, and we could sit down by the pond initially. There I could begin to talk innocently about one Tatewaki Kuno, and if there's one thing that causes little sis to boil over it's him. Even mentioning him is sufficiently, and once you have taught her the soul of ice technique I will rejoice. The property damage caused by this is enormous. You wouldn't believe how often little sis damaged school property in the last six months. Granted, we didn't have to pay for it but if she could keep her calm when Kuno sprouts his nonsense it would be great."

**  
**Ranma smiled confidently. "Once she has the soul of ice down it won't be a prob no more. Hey, it even calms me down, and I'm a monster when I have my monthly visitor. Or do you see me murdering any one right now?"

**  
**Nabiki and Kasumi shared a look while Akane had busied herself with sifting through the CDs her sister had. "Let me get this straight, you're having your period right now, and normally you'd be much more temperamental, if you wouldn't use the soul of ice?" Nabiki asked in morbid curiosity.

**  
**The redhead nodded. "I really am a danger when I have my monthlies. The first time I got it in the village I nearly destroyed the hut of Elder Cologne. And because she was quite fond of it she had to use some pressure points to render me unconscious. Then she used some tea to help me and taught me the soul of ice. Ever since then I have had no problems any more, and due to my vast ki-reserves I can keep up the soul of ice indefinitely. Believe me, you really don't want to see me when I let the soul of ice slip while I'm on my period. Baka pops still hasn't recovered fully from the one time I did." she finished with an evil smirk.

**  
**The sisters nodded. The baka panda probably deserved it, but it would apparently be far too dangerous to ask Ranma for a demonstration. "Hmm, how about this: we" Nabiki said and pointed at herself and Ranma, "talk to Akane about Kuno and while we fire her up you go inside and claim that you have served sake in the garden, big sis. Just take two bottles from fathers' private stash, we'll set up the table in the meantime and once you have woken them up everything is prepared. If I've judged your father correctly he'd drop just about anything for sake."

**  
**Ranma nodded. "You betcha. He'd probably sell his soul for a sufficient amount of sake. I never understood how he, a martial artist could like that stuff so much."

**  
**"Neither could we with our father, Ranma." said Nabiki.

**  
**"Its sad, but it also offers a wonderful opportunity to manipulate them." said Ranma.

**  
**"That's the plan, Ranma." said a smirking Nabiki. "You in, big sis?" she asked her elder sister.

**  
**Normally Kasumi would have been dead-set against helping to get her father drunk, but ever since Ranma's arrival things had changed; her priorities had changed. She had kept the façade of the caring housewife for far too long and she'd be damned if she'd support her father in that foolish endeavour he pursued.

**  
**The contract that had been made ensured Ranma's safety from any schemes her father could concoct, but Kasumi assumed that the fathers would still try to make Ranma's life hard, especially if she wanted to stay a girl. She'd made her decision; she'd do anything to ensure the safety of her sisters, and that included Ranma. "I am, Nabiki-imoutochan. If it means a headache for Mr. Saotome I'm oh so sorry." she said with a fake-innocent air.

**  
**An evil smile was exchanged between the three girls, and the plan was set in motion.

**  
**-.-

**  
**Few minutes later Kasumi had gone to lure Genma into the trap and Nabiki had involved Akane in a talk about school after they'd set up the table. She casually mentioned the morning fights and Tatewaki Kuno while they were working. All the while Ranma watched the aura of her friend and she had to admit that Nabiki was good. Akane was already showing reactions, but it was not enough as of yet.

**  
**Implacably Ranma shook her head, but the redhead grinned as her eyes fell onto Kasumi and the two half-delirious figures that accompanied her. The plan was working very well, and Ranma could trust her father to use one of his most powerful techniques: the Saotome-foot-in-mouth-technique.

**  
**"Ahh Tendo, a good grip you got there on your daughters; what a nice suggestion your oldest made to serve us sake in the garden. I just wish my wayward son would honour his poor father as much as your daughters obviously honour you. Oh, why am I cursed with such a silly and weak little girl of a son?" lamented the sometimes panda.

**  
**Ranma had to delve deeply into her soul of ice to keep herself from pounding her father as flat as a pancake. The temptation was enormous, but if she'd act on the impulse she'd achieve nothing. She wanted to learn how to master the malletspace technique, and she'd make sacrifices for it. After all, with a mallet she'd be able to shut up her stupid oaf of father so much more efficiently. Besides, it could also be used as a surprise tactic in a fight.

**  
**To her immense satisfaction the redhead noticed that the comment of her father had served to incense Akane quite a lot. The talk about Kuno and the morning fights had served to spark her anger, but Genma's comment about 'weak girls' sparked her temper further. "What was that? Are you still claiming that girls are silly and weak?" she asked in a dangerous tone of voice.

**  
**Genma, ignorant as ever, ignored the signs of danger completely. "Why yes, of course. Just look at my son. Here I sacrificed my all, poured my heart into making him into the strongest man, a true man among men, and an embodiment of masculinity, and he wants to live as a soft, crying, weak little girl. Oh the shame!"

**  
**Akane seethed, and as Ranma had embraced the soul of ice so much so that the koi-pond was nearly freezing she had to be content with the thought that her friend was angry enough for the two of them. Her father deserved everything that was coming now, and the redhead grinned as she saw how her aura changed exactly.

**  
**She made the connection between stuffspace and malletspace, and she finally knew what she had missed all this time. Scientifically spoken the malletspace existed on a different 'frequency' in relation to the normal stuffspace, and one had to alter ones aura in exactly the right way. That Akane had been able to pull it of involuntarily and so easily meant that she had a high overall affinity for stuffspace.

**  
**The big difference between malletspace and the 'normal' stuffspace was that while stuffspace had to be anchored to an object, and it could be any object that was big enough so that a hand could reach in, malletspace had to be anchored to a person so that this person could access it. For this the person had to alter his or her aura in exactly the right way to create an access-point, some kind of subspace-connection, so to speak.

**  
**Scientifically spoken one had to modulate ones aura in the exact frequency to align with malletspace, and through copying what Akane was doing Ranma was confident to get the same results. Who knew, maybe other subspace-pockets existed out there that could be accessed. With a gleeful grin Ranma thought about all the possibilities as she watched how Akane retrieved a mallet from malletspace, and she grinned when it connected with her father with a cry of "GENMA NO BAKA!"

**  
**Due to the fact that Akane had added quite a lot of wham to her malleting Genma was not just sent into the koi-pond, he rather had time to think about his follies as he went sailing over the horizon; or he rather would have had time to think had he not been utterly unconscious.

**  
**Ranma held a finger into the air as if to test the wind-conditions. "Good one, Akane. I'd say you managed to mallet him to the next ward." she said with a grin.

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl grinned back, Nabiki smirked and even Kasumi smiled while Soun asked himself just what the hell was going on.

**  
**"Oh father," exclaimed an observant Kasumi who masked her true attention as usual, "you surely want to drink your sake now. Here, sit down."

**  
**"Yes, yes, Kasumi, thank you." said a still confused Soun as he plopped down into a chair.

**  
**Soon the Tendo father was served on sake, and four happy girls retreated to the dojo. Once there Nabiki looked at Ranma. "And, Red, had the success you hoped for?"

**  
**The redhead nodded enthusiastically. "Watch." was all she said. Then she seemed to reach into thin air, and suddenly a mallet rested in her hands.

**  
**A smirking Ranma demonstrated her mallet to the other girls and she giggled when she bopped Akane ever so slightly on the head. "Thanks, Akane. Because of you I was finally able to uncover the technique of 'malletspace'. It's very closely related to the stuffspace technique, but I had to see you do it one more time to get it down." she said with a big grin. "Now, want me to show you how to pull it off?" she asked with a mischievous grin, already knowing the answer.

**  
**Three very distinct "Yes!" echoed through the air, and everyone looked surprised at Kasumi, who blushed in face of so much attention. "Oh my," she began, "that would be really useful in the household whenever father wants to eat those American steaks; you know, to butcher them sufficiently. And besides, I just might consider using this technique to call your father to order, Ranma-oneechan." she said with a fake-innocent voice. "My hand is itching lately, and it might just slip."

**  
**Four girls giggled in unison as it seemed that the mallet-season on pandas was soon to be declared open…

**  
to be continued**…

**  
Thanks to the ppl at Shinjis' board for helping me out with suggestions, ideas and comments. You rock! **

**  
Many thanks to those of you who were kind enough to leave reviews for the last chapter: **

**  
**Reader, Vex The Warlord, angel61991, Wonderbee31, Rejhan, Lord Oberon, Rodaiogin, Laniac67, Babs, Materia-Blade, Dconrad123, aledeth, Isumo 1489, Ebona Nite, Jonakhensu, Nichole Hibiki, wow, goku, SkyDragon2083, Wanderer, Dumbledork, Tenchi Saotome, TheWhiteMonk, demongurl, badgerwolf, Jerry Unipeg, Jetsmillion, Sephirotho, Silverscale, Scott, Jay Whitefox, Eternal Dark Chaos, Lisa Grey, SlickRCBD, psycoticboy, RubberNeck, trunks and goten, Vampwriter, borg rabbit, Dragon Man 180, Rionach 0.

**  
Replies to those questions and comments that caught my eye: **

**  
Female Saiyajins do have tails. Take a look at the Bardock movie special. In it it's clearly visible that Celipa has a tail and can go Oozaru. Just so you know.**

Thanks to everyone for pointing that out. Me, I wasn't sure about that.

**  
Hope the panda gets punished some more in the next chapters, he deserves it. Seeing Genma being maletted instead of Ranma is a nice change.**

I felt that it was time for Genma to be blamed instead of Ranma; and her being a girl here makes Genma the bad guy.

**  
I read a few of the suggestions, particularly the one where "Saffron is a Pseudo-Freeza" pops up. I don't agree. You specifically said in the third chapter that it would take decades for Ranma's boy form to train up to the power level she is now. And yet Ranma manages to defeat Saffron after one year of intense chaos and training (in the canon). And Ranma-chan already received the training from Cologne, so that makes it even more so--or as I believe it to be--not possible. She probably would be light years ahead of Saffron in terms of power after a few months.**

That was just Ranma's personal assessment of the situation; as for Saffron, my personal opinion is that he was way stronger in the the physical strength and raw power department in canon, and Ranma only managed to beat him due to his incredible skill-level. For what can all the power in the world do if you're facing off against someone a hundred times more skilled?

**  
Why not Ranma/Akane? You did a perfect setup for it, anyway.**

True, but I don't see Akane as a lesbian.

**  
This all comes from picturing Ranma-girl matching up with some Saiyan guy, and Goku is obviously taken. I picture a lot of Takahashi-style violence in the relationship. ... **

Very interesting thought, and it spawned a crazy, but interesting idea. Thanks for that.

**  
Another tried sob-story Ranma. Ranma was murderlessly beaten and abused by his father blah blah blah.**

In my defence, I had to add Ranma's life story as ways of explanation for why Genma is to be treated with caution. Result: a Genma with an addiction to painkillers courtesy of Akane's (and now Ranma's mallet).

**  
I think it would be cool for him to meet Goku etc... after GT and get to see SSJ 4 then train w/ Vegeta to get there.**

Interesting thought. Though it might happen earlier here.

**  
Not a bad story so far, though the "Superheated Water" curse is an old idea from a Sailor Moon crossover called Destiny's Child.**

Hmm, haven't read that one. The thought just popped into my mind, and we discussed the appropriate temperatures on the board, et voila.

**  
And you make Akane look like a good guy..er, gal. Kudos on that.**

I try to treat her fairly, in both stories. She'll still have anger issues, but here they'll be directed at Genma.

**  
If you need an interesting twist have him not actually be Genmas son have his real father be dead from a disease or something and he was born just after or just before he married Nodoka.**

Nah, I've meddled enough already. Ranma will still be Genma's and Nodoka's child.

**  
Power isn't everything to him, and I think that getting a free power-up like he did in the spring is the last thing Ranma wants, instead of being a big reason he wants to stay female.  
I know that it's VERY unlikely that anything will be changed by my statement, but I would like to know how you rationalized it.**

True, and I think I stated exactly that somewhere. Consider that Ranma must still train to improve, even if Saiyans improve a lot faster than humans. The power is not the only reason however, and more will be revealed throughout the course of the story.

**  
I think Nodoka SHOULD try to kill Ranma...**

That's one possibility of many I consider.

**  
Definitely give Ryoga the male Saiyan curse, Ranma-chan/Ranko and Ryoga pairings are my favourite and so are Ryouga/Ukyou.**

I'm still undecided on the matter and might decide to give Ryoga a different curse…

**  
You should have Ranma freak the first time he feels any attraction to a male; also why do you give Ryoga a male Saiyan curse?**

Freak she will indeed. As for Ryoga, as said above, nothing is decided as of yet.

**  
About Saffron:**

**He's more along the lines of Dodoria in power level... his true strength came from his ability to regenerate virtually any wound almost instantly.**

Personally I think that Saffron is stronger than Dodoria and really more along the lines of Friezas first or second form. Consider, that Ranma could not hold a candle to Saffron in terms of raw power and strength (at least imo) and only managed to beat him due to his skills (when he invented the Hiryu Shoten Ha revised).

**  
Ranma's rivals are going to need to receive some major power-ups themselves now to keep the story interesting. Especially love the idea of a male Saiyan-cursed Ryoga... Keep that idea. The fiancé brigade is going to be little more than emotional support/assaults, judging by the way this is going. I hope you have something planned in that regard. Happosai... since he gets power from female chi, it could be argued that he could beat Ranma-chan...**

True. But consider that humans have the potential to become really strong too, with the right training (take Tien, for example). As for Ryoga, that's still hanging in the air, but I am keeping the idea. Yes, I have something planned for the fiancé brigade, but consider that some things are going to be different now that Ranma is a girl; but there's always Genma for screwing up. I also agree with your assessment of Happosai, that should get interesting.

**  
Do you think you could cause one of the Z-Fighters to be splashed with a package of instant Jusenkyo water such as Vegeta with spring of drowned pervert to have fun with Happosai, or something equally funny?**

Definitely.

**  
Hey when's Ryoga gonna show up, in the next chapter I hope.**

Nah, his directional curse will delay him for some time. And Ranma will be busy with taking care of Kuno anyway.

**  
I agree that Ryoga should get a different curse...but another Saiyan is a little overboard in my eyes.**

As said above, nothing is decided in that regard aside from the fact that he will get a different curse.

**  
Ranma definitely wouldn't fall in love with a man even if he's been female for a long time and got used to a girl's body. Even if he thinks of himself as a woman, he's still male in his birthform.**

True, but Ranma hasn't been in male form for over half a year. Considering the fact that she's a full girl with female hormones, brain structure and everything that's part of the package I think its safe to assume that she's now got a wider range of dates to chose from.

**  
What kind of matchup are you going to make?**

Not gonna tell as of yet.

**  
You know you might have that the Neko-ken isn't rendered harmless but instead it a new level before SSJ. Her ki boosts and she becomes more agilie and faster. Unlike the normal SSJ where they get stronger and tougher.**

Nice thought, but that has already been done in another story; I think it was called 'A human Saiyajin'.

**  
I'm going to say the dialogue trick was a tentative success.**

I hope so. Sock me a good one if I switch back into old habits. :D

**  
I don't believe that sexual orientation is either genetic, or learned. It's developed during the formation of the fetus, according to research I've done.**

Might be true, but isn't it much funnier to see Genma having a coronary due to the fact that Ranma goes on a date with a guy:D  
Even if I'm not compliant with scientific cognitions, I'm gonna make it so.

**  
Is Akane gonna be well for lack of better description on my part, normal Akane.**

She won't be the mallet-wielding tomboy like in canon. Not to Ranma at least. Genma, well, he's fair game.

**  
If you introduce Gohan please don't make him a wimp like in the series.**

Don't plan to. Personally, I hated what they did to Gohan, and I'll do my utmost to make him into a stronger Saiyan.

**  
I am surprised to see you going the full female Ranma. A lot of people tend to have Ranma want to hold onto at least a little of her former self, but this Ranma seems to not care and genuinely wants to be a girl. I have no problems with that for it is definatly moving in a way not many people follow.**

I wanted to try something different, and this is my 'Ranma wants to stay a girl' story.

**  
If I have one request, I have noticed that in a lot, or all, of the dbz and Ranma crossovers that Ranma tends to whinde up weaker then the dbz characters in the end. I say Ranma's attitudes could easily make her as strong or as stronger then Goku in the end. They tend to just stick Ranma in with the rest of them and play an un important role in saving the world. I want to see Ranma being the best and saving the world herself and not one of the original dbz cast.**

Don't fear, Ranma will play a major role in saving the world, and no way is she going to be a minor player. I also agree with your assessment, considering her attitude she'll come far in terms of power.

**  
That would be cool if Ranma taught the girls to use Ki blasts.. hehe... man that would be crazy too..**

Exactly that will happen. So better watch your furry butt, Genma…

**  
I hope Ranma-chan kicks Kuno's ass when they meet, goodness knows Ranma needs to let off a bit more steam.**

Oh, she will, in Chapter 6.

**  
Can Ranma get a giant war hammer since she has so much more ki than Akane?**

Seeing as Ranma learned how to access malletspace in this chapter this is a decent possibility.

**  
I really hope Nodoka is able to accept Ranma, she could really use a loving parent and no matter how experienced Kasumi is she can't quite fill the void that Nodoka's rejection would leave.**

As said somewhere above, I have several scenarios how Nodoka could react, and acceptance is among them.

**  
**


	5. Encounters of the Kuno kind

**Title**: Saiyajinnyannichuan – Spring of drowned female Saiyan

**Author name**: Trugeta

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ as well as Akira Toriyama and Funimation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Note further that I don't own any of the other trademarks mentioned in this story.

This story takes place at the beginning of the Ranma ½ series and several years after the Cell Games Saga. It's an AU, and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

**  
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────**

**  
Chapter 5: Encounters of the Kuno kind  
**

**  
**The next morning began different for Ranma than usual. Her normal routine of being woken up had been to have a bucket of water thrown into her face, and regardless of how often she had pounded her father flat for it he had not learned.

**  
**This Sunday morning Ranma awoke in a comfy bed in the guestroom she had to just herself. True to the contract her father had had to sleep in the same room as Soun Tendo, and to be honest, Ranma felt for the man. Her father was a world-class snorer, and it had taken her several years to be able to tune the ear-shattering noise out.

**  
**Ranma stretched lazily in her bed as she wondered why her father had not tried to wake her up for their morning spar. Normally he would have gone out of his way to do so, and knowing her father she'd probably have been thrown into the pond or something.

**  
**"RANMA! BREAKFAST!" was suddenly called from downstairs, and Ranma smiled to herself. Yes, this was the way to wake up, and she could very well get used to.

**  
**Smiling to herself she yelled "COMING!" while she walked towards the door. Sensing that she was the only one in this story aside from Nabiki who was still snoring gauging from her aura, Ranma went downstairs in her nightie.

**  
**This was a piece of clothing she had borrowed from Kasumi, who was the nearest to her size. She had to admit, it had felt a lot better to sleep in a nightie than in panties and bra only and it was really no comparison to how she had slept on their way back, in her clothes.

**  
**In the village the Elder had broken her off the habit to wear boxers and male clothes quite fast. How she'd done it Ranma did not know to the present day, but in hindsight she had to admit that the Elder had been right. Panties just felt a lot better down there, and a bra had finally given her the support she needed with a bustline like hers. After that she had been able to fight a lot better, as certain parts of her anatomy were not irritating her any more.

**  
**But as this female body had become her new temple she had followed the logic of Elder Cologne that she had to take good care of it. Which also meant wearing female clothing. Ranma, who was presently going through her morning routine in the bathroom remembered with fondness how her father had reacted when he had realized what his former man among men was wearing.

The baka panda had demanded that she change back into manly attire immediately, but a lengthy 'discussion' had convinced him to keep his convictions to himself. With all the peace of mind she had gained in the last few months Ranma went through her morning routine, and was soon ready to take on whatever the day would throw at her.

**  
**Exiting the bathroom she planned to go directly to the kitchen to look if she could help Kasumi with anything. When she passed the living room however she noticed that Akane was sitting at the low table on her usual cushion. She had also seen that the old farts were up already; they were sitting at some kind of board, and both had looked up at her entrance.

**  
**Before Genma could begin to shout at her she smiled seductively at her 'fiancée'. "Good morning, honey. I hope you rested well."

**  
**Akane nearly spit her tea out, but she remembered fast enough how she was supposed to act. Gulping her tea down she answered with a smile of her own. "But of course, love. How was your rest?"

**  
**Ranma smiled as she stepped behind Akane, and she decided spontaneously to one up on the old farts. Smiling she began to massage Akane's shoulders as she answered. "Marvellous. I have not had such a good nights rest in a long time. Although I wondered why oyaji did not try to wake me up…"

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl who was enjoying the impromptu massage very much (damn, Ranma was good at this!) snorted in amusement. "That would be because Kasumi asked him _nicely_." she said, stressing the word nicely.

**  
**The redhead smiled. "I'll have to thank her for that. And besides, sparing with baka pops over there ain't no challenge any more." she stated matter-of-factly.

**  
**Genma, who had followed the conversation undecided, felt it prudent to voice that he felt insulted. "Bah, you're talking nonsense, boy! You barely know half of what I have to teach you, and if you're an honourable son I might consider teaching it to you. To this end you have to marry Akane as soon as possible. And now go and change back into my manly son!" he demanded.

**  
**Ranma nodded to herself while she continued to massage Akane. So she had been right. Her idiot father _had_ voluntarily held back on her and was no trying to bait her with the scrolls. Well, he would have little luck with it...

**  
**Once she had taught the techniques to the Tendo girls who were not of blood relation to Genma, much to their luck, they would probably even be able to kick his ass. Ranma figured that baka pops would not notice that she was teaching the techniques of the Saotome school to her new students.

**  
**In face of having the better cards she just turned around with a smirk. "Pops, remember Condition One of the contract? No meddling with the engagement. And what does Condition Three say? We carry the engagement out as we see fit. And _Akane_ has asked me to be her sensei. As she is not comfortable with a male sensei for obvious reasons, you will refrain from interfering. Now that my love received her morning massage I'll get me some breakfast. And now excuse me, while _you_ return your attention to cheating as you always do."

**  
**That said she left for the kitchen, leaving two stunned fathers in her wake. Genma grumbled after recovering, while Soun erupted into a torrent of tears. "WAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! My baby girl has a sensei other than me! WAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

**  
**Feeling her temper flare Akane whirled around. "Yes, and _finally_! Had you taught me better instead of moping around I would not need to begin nearly from scratch again! And Ranma _wants_ to teach me for real, father, unlike you!" she ground out.

**  
**Her harsh but true statement left the Tendo patriarch stunned once more, and in the sudden quiet a certain Master of the Tendo Ryu was completely ignored by his youngest who helped herself to some more breakfast. Genma used the good opportunity to rearrange the board somewhat in his favour. Few moments later Ranma came back from the kitchen and the end of the conversation she had held with Kasumi could be heard.

**  
**Ranma had apparently giggled at something Kasumi had said. "…would not mind if you did it again, Kasumi! That was nice. Oh, and be ready for training at 9 a.m., okay?"

**  
**Kasumi confirmed with a "Hai, sensei." and a happy Ranma sat down beside a grumpy Akane. "Hey, what's up, Akane?" she asked as she laid a hand on her shoulder. "Did they say anything stupid, love?"

**  
**Akane turned her face towards Ranma, and oddly all her anger seemed to evaporate in face of the genuine care in Ranma's expression. "I was just angry at father because he engaged his waterworks over the fact that you're my new sensei. He can be so thoughtless sometimes!" she exclaimed.

**  
**Ranma sat down beside Akane and grabbed her hand. "That's normal for men, love. Don't mind them, they can't help it."

**  
**The youngest Tendo girl suppressed her laughter with difficulty and only managed to do so through thinking of bad things that had happened to her. When she trusted her voice again she nodded solemnly. "I suppose you are right, honey." she said, acting it out perfectly. "They're just men, and men were once perverted boys. Kami-sama help us girls." she exclaimed and threw her hands into the air.

**  
**Ranma nodded solemnly too. "How right you are, love." she answered.

**  
**Now it had apparently gone too far for the fathers. "BOY, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS! YOU ARE MY SON, AND NOT SOME STUPID AND WEAK GIRL! NOW BEHAVE LIKE MY SON AGAIN!" Genma bellowed.

**  
**Slowly both girls turned around to Genma, and both glared daggers at him. "Do you _see_ a boy here, oyaji no baka? No! So keep your trapdoor shut and let us enjoy our breakfast in peace and quiet. I _need_ my peace and quiet, or you will see me angry. Remember what happens when I get angry?" Ranma threatened.

**  
**Genma gulped, and Soun, who had never had much backbone in the first place shrank back from the angry females. "Boy," Genma began weakly, "I demand that you change into my manly son! I have no daughter!" he finished somewhat stronger.

**  
**Ranma just glared and leaned over to Akane. "Akane-chan, I'm sure you remember why it isn't advisable to irritate me at the moment, right?" she asked. At Akane's weary nod she continued. "Now you see what happens when I don't apply the soul of ice during that time. Better stand back somewhat, I don't want you getting hurt." she said with an already dangerous glint in her eyes.

**  
**Gulping, Akane complied, and inwardly she wondered if she'd finally see someone with an even more volatile temper than her.

**  
**Ranma, for her part, had gotten up from her comfy cushion, and she had just finished her bowl of rice. Her _first_ bowl of rice. "Oyaji, I had only _one_ bowl of rice before I was rudely interrupted and yelled at." she said, and with each word the temperature seemed to rise. Oh yes, the soul of ice was currently on vacation alright. "Do you remember what happens when I am hungry, get distracted from my breakfast and have just started my time? DO YOU?" she bellowed, and a red aura sprang up around her.

**  
**Soun and Genma scrambled away from her, and in a moment of bravery Genma threw his cup of tea at her. However, the pot sans content was simply incinerated at Ranma's battle aura, and for the first time Akane noticed the difference between Ranma's battle-aura and her own. For one, Ranma's was apparently a lot more dangerous, and second, a lot more powerful.

**  
**Ranma growled as she stalked towards her prey. Akane, who was standing at a safe distance heard Ranma growl. She also heard her father whimper and thought she heard something like "Just like the master… horrible!"

**  
**The redhead did not know who this master was, thus she ignored it. What was not ignored was that quivering mass before her that called himself her father. "I warned you, oyaji. I warned you repeatedly what would happen if you called me a weak girl. AND DAMN IT TO HELL, FINALLY ACCEPT THAT YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER, FOR KAMI-SAMAS SAKE! DO I LOOK LIKE A BOY, OYAJI NO BAKA?"

**  
**Genma, too scared to give a witty retort, could only nod dumbly and give a stupid retort. "But… but… I don't have a daughter… girls are weak… and useless. No, no… I can't have a daughter… No-chan would have my head… no, I can't… I won't… I don't _want_ a daughter! You are not my daughter!" he insisted.

**  
**Akane could tell instantly that Genma, who'd obviously fought an internal battle of some kind, had made a big mistake, and also Kasumi who had come into the living room to see what the source of the noise was saw that this would not end well for Genma Saotome. "YOU IDIOT!" Ranma bellowed like only a female on hormonal high can. "DO YOU NEED NEW GLASSES OR WHAT? FOR THE LAST FREAKING TIME, DO I LOOK LIKE A BOY TO YOU?" she yelled, and her tail swished behind her in agitation.

**  
**"No, you look like a weak, little girl. But that is something a bit of hot water could certainly change, missy!" he taunted, now once more sure of his footing.

**  
**But Genma thusly proved his inability to adapt once again, and his misogyny seemed to be too deeply ingrained into him as that it had been beaten out of him yet. Well, that could be changed...

**  
**---

**  
**Watching Ranma in the next few moments was like watching how a nova exploded, and it was certainly as impressive. First her face grew progressively redder, and also Nabiki, who had been rudely awoken by the yelling, was witness how Ranma seemed to grow. Her coal-black eyes suddenly seemed to flicker and looked teal all of a sudden, but moments later her eye-colour was back to normal. And then she exploded.

**  
**Her mallet suddenly just appeared from malletspace, and it was an exemplar that impressed even Akane. With a yell of "OYAJI NO BAKA!" the mallet was swung in a beautiful arc and connected solidly with Genma's chin. Said idiot father was turned into a human missile and launched out of the room, right through the roof.

**  
**Ranma growled once more and visibly got herself under control, now that the object of her ire was removed. It grew colder in the room and the three Tendo girls knew why. Soun Tendo however had the feeling as if someone had walked over his grave and he shuddered even more when a pair of cold black eyes drilled a hole into him. "Got anything to add, Mr. Tendo?" she asked in a cold voice, fact that let Akane knew that Ranma was back in control.

**  
**Her father did not know, though, and one could see in his eyes that he was even more cowed than when she herself had had one of her temper tantrums. But she had to admit that Ranma had been very impressive, and she was indeed someone you did not want to cross when angry. Thus her father only shook his head. "N… no, Ranma. Everything is fine, heh heh."

**  
**The redhead nodded satisfied. "Good to hear that. And now excuse me while I resume my breakfast." she said with her head held high.

**  
**Even Nabiki was impressed, and she shared a look with Kasumi, who was still standing routed to the spot. Both nodded. Ranma had not exaggerated. She _was_ like a fury when she had her time. "Morning, father." Nabiki drawled. "Had a nice talk?"

**  
**Soun smiled weakly, while Kasumi disappeared into the kitchen. "Y… yes, daughter. You could say so, heh heh."

**  
**Nabiki nodded with a glint in her eyes and barely suppressed a smirk. So her new imotouchan had found out how she could cow their father now, had she? And damn had she done it in an impressive way! The mercenary girl made a mental notice not to cross Ranma during her time, or things could turn very ugly. No, better make that 'not cross her at all'. That performance had been scary! Inspiring, but scary.

**  
**---

**  
**And the day remained scary for the fathers; with some very good playacting the Tendo sisters managed to manoeuvre the fathers into a situation where they had no other choice but to contribute their parts to the household budget. Even Genma wilted under the glares, icy-cold stares and disapproving looks of the four girls and had agreed to teach in tandem with Soun.

**  
**The rest of the day was spent training, and Ranma began to instruct the three Tendo sisters in the basic Anything Goes Moves. In Akane's case she had to remedy the mistakes which had been caused by learning on her own, but her sister had a lot of potential. Nabiki was fit as a fiddle due to her yoga training, and Kasumi, well, she showed a surprising aptitude for the Art, and the physical fitness she'd gained from her gymnastics proved to be advantageous.

**  
**The surprise had apparently been obvious on Ranmas face, and the looks from Nabiki and Akane promised a full explanation later. After training as scheduled the four girls relaxed in the furo, and especially the Tendo sisters were dead on their feet after the strenuous training. They barely managed to prepare lunch, and especially Akane and Nabiki sent baleful glares at their 'torturer'. The still chipper Ranma just smirked, her smirk promising that it would only get worse.

**  
**---

**  
**At exactly 5:48 a.m. on a mild but still dark Monday morning Ranma Saotome was rudely awoken by an unexpected attack. Before she could've blinked the redhead had been thrown out of the open window and into the koi-pond. Landing in said pond with a huge splash served to wake up the redhead instantly and completely; the method to induce her wakefulness awoke something else, too: a burning anger.

**  
**As expected, her father stood at the windowsill with a big smirk. "'Sis your own fault, you weak girl. Had you had your guard up you'd still be dry. Oh why am I cursed with such a disgrace of a son?"

**  
**Spitting out a mouthful of pond-water Ranma growled and swam to the shore; no need to give in and toast the poor koi. Toasting her idiot father sounded so much better. With an evil smirk that promised great pain Ranma climbed out of the pond and flared her aura, effectively drying herself. She noticed with satisfaction that her aura had increased in size and power since last time, and the redhead enjoyed the look of surprise and fear on her fathers´ face. With a giant leap Ranma landed on the windowsill and prowled into the room like a predator.

**  
**At seeing the look in Ranma's eyes Genma _knew_ fear, and before the portly man could stutter out an excuse (unlikely) or an explanation to safe his sorry hide (_very_ likely) Ranma had reached him and bashed him over the head so that he saw stars; then she grabbed him, hauled him over her shoulder and threw him out of the window. Her aim was not the koi-pond, and Genma sailed right into the wall, face first; the fat man was imbedded deeply within said wall and keeled over backwards.

**  
**Ranma smirked and congratulated herself to her good aim; then she jumped down, ready to deal out the real punishment.

**  
**Down in the garden Genma awoke with a groan, and his initial thought processes were slow and hazy. **'Ouch, what the heck hit me? Ahh, the wall... yea, that would do it.'** Genma thought.

**  
**With another groan he propped himself up on his elbows and got to his feet. Then he cracked his joints to reestablish full mobility; he´d the feeling that he´d need it. And looking at Ranma he knew it...

**  
**---

**  
**To Genma his son-turned-daughter looked scarier than Nodoka ever had and even the master seemed to pale in comparison, which was a gruesome thought in and on itself. The air around Ranma seemed to be charged with energy, and her spiky hair stood up even straighter. As the redhead stalked towards him ever so slowly but unstoppable like the tide Genma felt that it would be a good idea to say his prayers...

**  
**Then his world exploded in pain and he was sent flying upwards by an unseen blow. Genma prepared himself for a hard landing, but it would get even harder than he'd thought. For Ranma jumped high into the air and hammered her surprised father straight into the ground with a double-fisted blow. The balding man was sent towards the ground like a missile and created a man-sized crater upon impact.

**  
**Ranma landed gracefully and awaited the next move of her father with anticipation. However, none came. "If ya gonna wake up this early I can expect a good sparring match, can't I, oyaji?" huffed the redhead.

**  
**A groan was her answer, and Ranma snorted. "Better toughen up some before you try that again, oyaji. But I don´t appreciate being woken up in this way, so prepare to pay up the fee. Nabiki will be too too happy to collect."

**  
**Another groan was her only answer, and a smirking Ranma entered the house to get a good soak in the furo. It wouldn't do to start her first schoolday stinking like a fish. Genma, who was embedded face-first in the ground, really began to have second thoughts about his course of action of categorically refusing to accept Ranma as his daughter. The girl was getting stronger and stronger, and his threshold of pain had long since been overcome…

**  
**---

**  
**Seeing as she had been up and about anyway Ranma had begun to prepare breakfast, only to be joined by Kasumi ten minutes later. Together they'd prepared breakfast in companionable silence, and had soon be joined by Akane who'd set the table. Smiling that everything was going so smoothly Kasumi had her final confirmation that her family would and could survive without her should she make good on her dream. But before she´d contemplate this she´d have to observe how the dynamics would evolve.

**  
**Finally Nabiki came downstairs, as grumpy as ever. Ranma had soon learned that Nabiki was the polar opposite of a morning person, and only coffee, and lots of coffee helped to make her at least somewhat sociable.

**  
**A very roughened up Genma joined them a little later, and Soun followed not shortly thereafter. After a 'good morning' to their dad Akane slapped her head. "D'oh, now I know what I forgot. I didn't wish my fiancé a good morning. How could I forget?"

**  
**Akane was now playing the role down to the hilt; at first she had argued that acting like lesbians would be a bit perverted, but Nabiki had convinced her and Ranma that it would serve to justify why Ranma had taken up the engagement with Akane. Some sacrifices had to be made, and in the end both girls had agreed.

**  
**A sunny smile appeared on Ranma's face as Akane leant over to her to give her a peck on the cheek before she exclaimed a "Good morning, sunshine!"

**  
**Ranma returned the greeting with a smile and turned around to her 'iinazuke'. "Good morning to you too, love. Come sit down an enjoy breakfast with me." she said, and used her Soul of Ice to keep herself from bursting out with laughter.

**  
**The faces of the old men were just too funny. Genma was apparently torn between chiding his 'boy' for kissing Akane in girl-form and celebrating the 'joining of the schools'. Soun had once more given in into his waterworks for reasons only known to him. Go figure.

**  
**Ranma and Akane were sharing a secret grin, and both girls chatted animatedly during the consummation of breakfast. That Akane was able to hold her laughter in impressed Ranma very much and showed her that the other girl was on a good way concerning the Soul of Ice.

**  
**All the while the old men had been silent, but Genma obviously thought after a while that he had heard enough female chatter. And true to character he interrupted the talk Akane and Ranma held like a bull in a china shop, which was caused by the splitting headache he was suffering from. "Boy, enough of this incessant girlish chatter! I can't stand it any longer! And now you go and change back into my son so that you can go to the school I enrolled you in!" he commanded.

**  
**Ranma just arched a delicate brow. "You just interrupted an important talk, oyaji. Now I didn't get to tell Akane what my favourite colour in a skirt is, and it's all you fault." she exclaimed, and relished in the shocked expression on her fathers' face. "But this one time I'll let it slide. As for school, thanks to Akane and her sisters I am already prepared. No thanks to you. But it is just like you to spring something like that on me at the very day school starts. You can call yourself lucky that I'm not vengeful. Much. Now don't interrupt me again without a good reason." she stated icily.

**  
**Genma, who had not received an answer to his most important request steamed at being treated this way by his child. The stupid boy had to obey him! How dare he! "Boy," he growled out, "you will go to school as I ordered you to. As my son. I don't have a stupid daughter who chatters enough for five men and causes my headache to worsen."

**  
**The redhead got up slowly, and her whole posture screamed danger. Akane covered her ears as a safety precaution, but she need not have to. Ranma had embraced the Soul of Ice, and her voice was cool as ice when she answered once she had crossed the room. "You are right, oyaji, you don't have a stupid daughter." WHAM! "You have a very intelligent daughter." she stated with a smirk as her father sailed over the horizon through the makeshift overhead-hole he had made. "Methinks you also got even more of a headache now, but that's your own stupid fault, oyaji no baka."

**  
**Considering the strength she had put behind the blow Ranma as well Akane, who was more experienced in malleting someone, estimated that he'd very well make it to the next ward. Silently Akane shook her head as she surveyed her friend.

**  
**Would Genma learn at any time, that it did not bode well for him if he angered Ranma? And how hard could it be to accept Ranma as his daughter instead of his son, if Ranma was so much stronger and better as a girl? Was it really so hard for the man to accept Ranma as his daughter? Weren't other things more important, like her continued good health and well-being? Her happiness?

**  
**Sipping her tea Akane mused that they might have to 'convince' Genma of his follies and show him the error of his ways, if needed with a mallet to the head. Repeatedly. Akane mused with a smirk that it might very well be needed, considering how thick the skull of the Saotome patriarch seemed to be.

**  
**Nabiki was hanging onto the same thoughts as her younger sister, and her thought-processes were as efficient as ever, now that she'd had her second large pot of coffee. In her opinion the seppuku contract would explain Genma's behaviour quite well, she mused. To Genma his very life depended upon compliance with the contract, which explained why he was trying to force Ranma to be and stay a boy. They'd really have to do something about it, for it might very well be that Genma's act of idiocy were just caused by abject fear...

**  
'Yes,'** Nabiki mused to herself, **'the clever one eradicates the source of evil at its root. If we were to convince Genma that this whole contract is nothing but a sick joke, something that Ranma's mother would probably be convicted for in court, then we might have a chance to convince him to lay off. As refreshing as bashing her father might be for Ranma, it doesn't solve the problem. Physical violence seldom does, in contrast to a lawsuit. Methinks I'll have to have a chat with Genma.'**

**  
**Soun on his part was once more speechless as so often as of late, and rather than to reprimand Ranma for her behaviour he chose to comment on the weather instead. "What a lovely day, isn't it?"

**  
**Ranma looked at Akane with an expression that said 'Is he for real?', and Akane just shrugged. Together the girls left the table, placed their dishes in the sink and grabbed their satchels. The redhead had received an old satchel from Akane, and once they had left the compound with a wave at Kasumi they were off. The redhead slipped on her cloak, and the girls were ready to go.

**  
**---

**  
**Akane smirked at her cloaked friend as they were on their way to school, and an eager anticipation was prevalent in her being. She was really curious what Ranma could do once she was unleashed onto the morning mob. Nabiki, that she knew, was already at school and had her 'co-workers' place bets that the morning fights would be take a different turn as of today. Why not make some money out of the slaughter?

**  
**The two girls walked side by side, and for the first time in long Akane was carefree and happy instead of unbelievably angry. For once the way to school was fun again, and chatting animatedly with Ranma she nearly did not notice that they had already walked the whole distance.

**  
**Once Akane had realised that she came to a grinding halt, and Ranma stopped with her. "Look," she said and pointed, "they're waiting for me behind this gate. About forty to fifty boys I guess, like every morning, and some of them are equipped with assorted sports equipment with which they always try to knock me out. Those perverts!" she growled.

**  
**Ranma nodded. "The best course of action is for me to jump onto the wall and give a declaration of war." she said, and Akane could sense the smirk the cloaked redhead was wearing.

**  
**Akane nodded. "I think you're right, Ranma. But please, even if you're really good, be careful." she said.

**  
**The cloaked redhead nodded, touched by the worry in her companions' voice. "Don't worry, I will." she said.

**  
**With that Ranma sprinted ahead, and with one fluid jump she had brought herself onto the nearly ten feet tall wall that surrounded the school compound. "Listen up you all," she yelled, and used her ki to distort her voice, "I am here to end the so called morning fights. All of you dishonourable curs who dare to attack my friend Akane Tendo, a fellow student of the Musabetsu Kakuto, will now learn that attacks upon us are not tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly. This is your last and only warning. Either stop the attacks on Akane Tendo or suffer the consequences." she stated clearly as she surveyed the mob that had congregated behind the school gate.

**  
**Akane had been right. Those were at least fifty boys, and many of them were equipped with baseball bats, tennis rackets or other assorted 'weaponry'. And it was apparent that those boys were not using their big heads, but rather the other part of their anatomy. Ranma shuddered in disgust and could perfectly understand why Akane thought the boys her age perverts.

**  
**Those examples of male students before her were indeed disgusting. Not that they were not attractive from a physical point of view, but their attitude and the obvious way that they had given in to their urges was utterly disgusting. It was, as if the old ways of getting a woman still held true here: bash a female over the head with a club, drag her away by the hair to your cave and have your way with her. In two words: utterly disgusting.

**  
**And the reaction of the mob was predictable. "Who are you to tell us what to do?"

**  
**"Yeah, what he said! Go bugger off!"

**  
**"We want Akane and we get Akane!"

**  
**"Yeah!" many voices exclaimed, "What he said!"

**  
**Ranma smirked under her hood and cracked her knuckles. "So that means you won't leave Akane alone, eh?" she stated in her disguised voice.

**  
**Fifty "Hell, no!"s could be heard.

**  
**Ranma smirk deepened. "Good." she said, and made a high somersault right into the cluster of boys.

**  
**Seconds later sounds of battle ensued and Akane deemed it safe to take a look. What she saw was unsurprising to her, but on the other hand, maybe it was. Ranma's cloaked form was tearing into the ranks of the boys like a tornado, and she looked somewhat like one of those figures out of this Gaijin movie, Star Wars.

**  
**It was cool to watch, but Akane mused with an amused smirk that it was not as much fun to be an actual participant of the battle. Boys were flying high into the air left and right, and Akane giggled loudly when Ranma used one of her energy blasts to fry the ass of one unlucky pervert.

**  
**Soon Ranma had laid out all perverts, and the force with which she had done so demonstrated that anyone who dared to attack students of the Musabetsu Kakuto would suffer the same fate. Ranma looked imperiously at the groaning boys, at least it would have had this effect had her face been visible. "This is what happens to all those who dare to attack members and students of the Musabetsu Kakuto. Dare to attack one of us again, and you will pay the price." she stated calmly, as if she was talking about the weather.

**  
**However, the message was clear and had been received. One of the girls, who usually watched how the boys got beaten up by Akane, approached Ranma warily. "Who… who are you?" she asked, evidently afraid of the reaction she would receive.

**  
**Ranma smiled and radiated an aura of peace, a trick she had learned from a monk in China; then she slipped her cloak off, and the other girls gasped at seeing her; more than just one of them was green with envy. "Don't worry, I won't harm you. This was just a warning to some perverts who dared to attack a fellow student of the Musabetsu Kakuto, and that repeatedly. Thus it was decided that the situation was unacceptable, and as Akane's sensei I decided to remedy the situation."

**  
**That answer baffled the girl completely. "S… sensei? You are Akane's sensei? But what about her father?" she asked, forgetting her fear.

**  
**At this moment Akane came over, whistling a merry tune as she surveyed Ranma's handiwork with a smirk. "It is true, Yuka. Ranma is my sensei, and… crap!" she exclaimed, as she caught sight of the originator of the morning fights.

**  
**Ranma had turned her head at the same time, and as she surveyed the figure she noticed that he was quite strong… for a human. With an arrogant stride he walked towards where they were standing, and Ranma noticed that he was carrying a wooden practice bokken carelessly behind his back in his left hand.

**  
**From his right hand he threw something, and Akane caught it. As usual, it was a red rose, and the youngest Tendo girl dropped it as if it was a poisonous snake. "So, my fierce tigress has once more emerged as the righteous victor over this truly boorish lot. Now take my hand so we may date…"

**  
**"It wasn't Akane, Kuno. This girl… this goddess there trounced us, but good!" one of the boys who could still walk exclaimed.

**  
**Surprised, Kuno looked from Akane to the Ranma and surveyed the beautiful redhead. "Indeed, it seems at if the heavens themselves have bestowed upon me a heavenly goddess. Who art thee, my pigtailed goddess? But halt, answer not! For isn't it customary to unveil ones own name first? Know this, I am Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen, junior class, captain of the Kendo Club, also known as the mighty Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! And if you defeat me you may date with me, my pigtailed goddess!" he exclaimed as he brandished his bokken. Subsequently a clap of thunder was heard.

**  
**"Nice special effects." was all Ranma muttered. Turning her head towards Akane she asked "Have I heard and perceived right, Akane? Is this guy challenging me?" in a conversational tone.

**  
**Akane nodded. "Could be."

**  
**"Okay," said Ranma, "just wanted to make sure. Hey, dumbass, I am Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of the Musabetsu Kakuto, and I accept your challenge! If I defeat you then you're going to leave Akane and me alone." she said and handed her satchel to Akane, who took it.

**  
**Kuno on his part looked confused for a moment, then a wide smile appeared on his face. "So eager thou art to date with me, my pigtailed goddess! If you defeat the mighty Blue Thunder thou may date with me."

**  
**Ranma looked at him like at a never before seen creature. "Date… with… you? Never!" she exclaimed in disgust, acting true to the plan they had concocted. "The noble Ranma Saotome of house Saotome does not date with delusional little boys who like to play with sticks." she stated with an air of superiority.

**  
**Akane had a lot of trouble to keep her laughter in, but Kuno didn't react as expected. Instead of sprouting more poetry he gasped. "Thou art of the noble house Saotome? Art thou related to Xenma Saotome, my pigtailed goddess? Thy faithful knight thankest thee, oh Kami-sama, for bestowing me with a goddess worthy of my noble lineage! Come into my arms, for I loveth thou!" he exclaimed and made to glomp on Ranma.

**  
**The Saotome girl looked at Akane, who shrugged. Ranma shrugged too, and one of the automatic responses she'd gained in the Amazon village kicked in. Bash all delusional suitors. The redhead side-stepped so that Kuno overextended, then she landed a hard blow to the back of Kuno's head which sent the boy to his knees.

**  
**Against her will Ranma was impressed that Kuno was still awake, and her opinion of Kuno rose, at least regarding his abilities in combat, when he got to his feet. "I see thou art held at bay from embracing my glorious presence as thy wont to. What dark magic doth makest thou flee, my goddess?"

**  
**Choosing to move the time-table forward Ranma decided to carry out their plan already instead of playing hard to get for a while; waiting and bashing Kuno every day would probably have been satisfying, but why not use their plan now, and get the headache named Kuno out of their hair just about now?

**  
**Managing to look like sadness incarnate the redhead sighed dramatically. "Alas, noble Blue Thunder, I can never be yours as long as my evil father does not lift the vile spell he has cast upon me. This spell will make it impossible for me to ever love a man! For the spell to shatter you must best my evil and demonic father in combat, and then, oh Kuno, you must recover the dragon hoove of Galveston and the sorcerers stone of Scotland. You will have to travel far and wide and fulfil many more dangerous tasks, one harder than the last. Only if you pass all tests, then, and only then I can be free."

**  
**Akane nearly burst a gut at Ranma's acting. Hopefully that would lead to a lot of headaches for panda-no-baka, and who knew, maybe Kuno was deranged enough to go onto the crazy quest Ranma had concocted out of the blue? With a grin she looked at her sister, who was standing at a window in the second floor, and the ice-queen smirked back.

**  
**---

**  
**Nabiki stood in her usual spot on the second floor, accompanied by most of her associates, and they were watching the developments. The Ice-queen of Furinkan High could tell that her associates had been pretty surprised at her orders. Not only had she ordered to place a bet that Kuno would be gone from school as of today, but she'd also placed a bet that a stranger would punt Kuno over the horizon.

**  
**One of her associates turned to Nabiki, hesitancy obvious in her posture. "Chief, did you know that Kuno got himself a new nick? I thought he was calling himself 'The Shooting Star' last week. But that on the side. Are you absolutely sure that Kuno will fall for that?"

**  
**Nabiki shrugged. "You're right, if Kuno-baka calls himself the Shooting Fart, the Blue Blunder or the Yellow Moron is irrelevant. And yes, I am sure that Kuno will fall for it and will end up sailing over the horizon courtesy of Ranma."

**  
**The other girls nodded, trusting their chief. However, one of her associates, her second in command, hesitantly spoke up. "I hope you're right about this 'gut-feeling' of yours or we'll be screwed, chief."

**  
**Nabiki just grinned in a self-confident way. After all, she had seen what Ranma could do, and it already looked good. Now for the grand finale. Kuno's reaction to the story they' concocted.

**  
**Down below, Kuno nodded in understanding. "Where, pray tell, might I find this evil beast that hath ensorcelled my pigtailed goddess thusly? It hath to be smited by my holy blade!" he exclaimed.

**  
**Ranma sighed and batted her eyelashes for effect. "Sadly the evil sorcerer lives at the noble Tendo dojo, under the same roof as my good friend Akane. He might even ensorcel her to despise you, noble Kuno."

**  
'Already happened.'** thought Akane with a grin, before employing all of her actresses' skills. "But I _do_ despise him! Tell him that I hate him, Ranma. I'm not his fierce tigress, nor will I _ever_ love him! You hear me, you can dry up and die, Kuno!"

**  
**The redhead looked at the shocked Kuno with a sad expression. "Alas, I fear it is already too late. The sorcerer was faster than I thought possible. Now she'll never be able to love you, unless…"

**  
**"Yes?" asked Kuno with bated breath, daring to hope.

**  
**"Unless you managed the impossible, noble Tatewaki of the house Kuno." Ranma flattered with big coal-black eyes, batting her red eyelashes.

**  
**Kuno puffed his chest. "Madam, nothing is impossible for the mighty Blue Thunder! Name thy quest and I will set the heavens in motion to aid me."

**  
**Ranma sighed like only a schoolgirl would, and for effect she held onto her heart. "Oh you're so brave! Alas, I hope you won't perish in this incredibly tenuous quest. Oh, the hardships you're going to face…"

**  
'Damn, she's good!' **Akane thought, who barely managed to hide her laughter in face of Ranma's ingenious acting; their rehearsals had apparently really helped! Kuno was falling for it! He really read Ranma's palm, and how she was playing him was nothing short of incredible.

**  
**"My goddess," Kuno exclaimed like only a person who worshipped some perceived godly entity would, "name thy request! The mighty Blue Thunder will prevail!"

**  
**"If you're so sure, mighty Kuno… for Akane and me to be freed of the vile influence of the sorcerer Saotome you need to recover…" Ranma paused dramatically.

**  
**"Yes?" Kuno asked with bated breath.

**  
**"You have been warned that it won't be easy." Ranma said, then she sighed dramatically. "You are to recover a tooth-nail from the panda-demon my vile father turns into, one from each big toe. Then you'll have to face the demon-headed father of Akane, and you need to retrieve a fresh sample of tears from him. The nails and the tears need to be mixed and have to be blessed by the Shinto Priest that lives at the Masaki Shrine. After that you have to remedy all the bad deeds my demon father ever did. When you've done this you need to find the brooch of Azradon, which will act as a catalyst to break the evil curse. However, before it will work it has to be blessed by the seven monks in the temple that resides in the Himalaya region, on its very top. Are you ready to face these tests, Tatewaki Kuno of the noble house Kuno?"

**  
**"Yes! For my two loves the noble Blue Thunder would do everything!" Kuno exclaimed instantly, brandishing his bokken in a proud pose. "I will start immediately! Thou wait, evil sorcerer Saotome, the mighty Blue Thunder is coming for thee! Before I goest onto my noble quest to fulfil my holy duty to freest thou and my fierce tigress Akane Tendo, come into my arms, my two loves!"

**  
**Following this proclamation Kuno tried to glomp onto Ranma, and conditioned reflexes sprung up in her; a strong right hook impacted the Kuno boy and sent him soaring high into the sky. "Forgive me, noble Kuno, but the evil sorcerer forced me to do this!" she yelled after the speck in the sky she knew to be Kuno.

**  
**Akane snorted. "Can it, sis, he's already in the next ward."

**  
**Then she grinned. "That was marvellous how you tricked him, and all the things you came up with for the quest, so cool! You added even more than we concocted!"

**  
**Ranma grinned. "If that won't get Kuno off our backs then I don't know. And pops can take as much as he can dish out..."

**  
**Akane nodded in understanding, and an evil smirk spread over her face. Ranma's father, moron that he was, still was a capable martial artist in his own right. He'd most probably be able to fend Kuno off easily; but the headache was now his instead of theirs, and that was a nice change. Grinning Akane began to lead the other girl into the school building. With Kuno out of the way it could only turn into a good day...

**  
to be continued**...

**  
Thanks to the ppl at Shinjis' board for helping me out with suggestions, ideas and comments. You rock! **

**  
Author's Notes: **

**  
I'm pretty sure you're all aware that the admins of this site have decided to create a rule that prohibits answering reviews. Due to that I'll no longer be able to post a q&a section, but will utilise the new system that has been provided by the site instead to answer the questions you come up with (I'm pretty sure you've read about the messaging system that sends responses to your mail-addresses). **

**The downside is that it doesn't work with anonymous reviewers, so for those of you who don't log in when you leave reviews, or plain simply have no acc, I won't be able to give you responses. Due to the fact that this system had only been introduced after a lot of you had asked questions I've posted a q&a section at my yahoo group. But in the future the system this site provides will be used. Thanks. **

**  
Many thanks to those of you who were kind enough to leave reviews for the last chapter: **

**  
**Jay, ranma girl 14, angel61991, Sin Piedad, Lord Oberon, Rejhan, trunks and goten, ranma hibiki, Phoenixmb, Wonderbee31, goku, Ranko, Dumbledork, Jetflash, Vampwriter, TheWhiteMonk, dswynne, Nichole Hibiki, dana-san, ranger5, P.H. Wise, JohnnyG, Campin' Carl, TheWyldeWynd, Anime-Freak317, ChaosRune, Daniel Lynx, SlickRCBD, Rodaiogin, Climhazard, Jim Ohki, TheCentauress, Dragon Man 180, MysticSuperSaiyanGohan, Dobe-Teme, RubberNeck, Jetsmillion, Jerry Unipeg, Jay Whitefox, psycoticboy


End file.
